Chapter 18 – Facticius Corium With a Twist
Harry woke early, eager for all the day would hold. "The day's blessings to you" his lowaar chimed cheerfully. "Bright blessings to you as well" he returned, as he got out of bed and headed to the shower.
After showering, he assembled the potion ingredients needed that he had purchased from both Muggle and magical vendors. Draco joined him in their common room, as eager as Harry was to see if the revised potion and spell would work as expected. After a quick breakfast that Dobby brought, they headed down to the Potions classroom.
Harry smiled at seeing the Potions Master striding towards the classroom as they entered the hallway. "Good morning, Professor" he said cheerfully followed by Draco's casual "Good morning Severus. Exciting, isn't it?"
The tall man's face twisted into his normal sneer as he unlocked the door. "If Mr. Potter can restrain himself from blowing up the classroom, I will consider it an opportune day." The Gryffindor started to sigh until he realized that the taciturn man's tone of voice didn't reflect the sneer, nor did the expression reach his eyes.
Harry smiled again as he followed the Potions Master into the room. "Just think, sir. You could get all new equipment if I did." He ignored Draco's snort of amusement as he walked to the counter and began unpacking his equipment. He laid out all of the ingredients, set up his scale and positioned his knives, mortar and pestle.
Harry had pressed both fruit and seeds into Neem oil earlier in the week, and had a carefully measured vial ready. He lit the fire under the cauldron and carefully poured the Neem oil into it, followed by one ashwinder's egg and the vial of glycolic acid. He stirred it carefully, the tapped the liquid off the crystal rod and laid it aside.
He pulped the algae and added that when the color of mixture in the cauldron turned a pale green. He stirred carefully, again cleaning off the rod before allowing it to simmer. He frowned slightly at the mixture, and nudged the head of the fire down by two degrees. A sudden wave of pride from Charok filled him.
"What was that for" he asked as he turned to the black cohosh root and began finely slicing it, creating a steady rhythm.
"That was the first time you looked at a potion and adjusted anything without asking me" the Juanth Darastrix replied. "That is the mark of a true potioneer, ghergo'ir. I am proud of you."
Harry's knife paused momentarily in its flashing rhythm. His lowaar was right. He had never automatically changed anything while brewing a potion before. He hid a grin as his knife picked up its motion again.
When the black cohosh root was finely sliced, he cast a timer to notify him when the simmering was done, and he needed to stir in the next ingredients. That done, he selected a slightly longer knife and picked up the sassafras that needed to be chopped.
He was intent on his task when Draco's voice asked quietly "Is there anything I can do to help, Harry?"
He continued chopping and considered. He was feeling rather territorial about the potion, and if Draco helped no doubt Snape would claim it was only his help that made the potion work. However, Draco was excited about the potion and had been very supportive.
Without altering his chopping rhythm, he said "Thank you, Draco. You can crush the betony if you would like." The blonde immediately picked up the mortar and pestle along with the wood betony and moved a little to Harry's right.
As Harry chopped, he walked through the brewing in his mind. A stray thought came to him and he thought about it before asking Charok, "Why don't we use the Headmaster's blood or hair in the potion? Wouldn't that make the skin and glove more responsive to him?"
After a moment of silence, Charok's chagrinned brass tones returned "And the student becomes the master. I was focused on a general recipe to be used by anyone. But you are correct. Either blood or a couple strands of hair with the follicle attached would customize the potion to that person. Why not suggest it to your Potions Master?" His tone implied amusement if the Potion Master had the same reaction he had.
Harry's knife continued flashing as he said out loud "Professor Snape, to customize the artificial skin to work better for the Headmaster, do you think we should add either his blood or hair?" Draco's pestle stopped moving at the question.
The timer went off, and Harry checked the cauldron. The simmering was on track for this stage of the brewing and the consistency was perfect. He began adding the sliced black cohosh root three pieces at a time, stirring carefully as the mixture absorbed the roots.
"Professor?" He looked over his shoulder to see the Potions Master standing with his eyes closed and pinching the bridge of his nose. At the question, he looked up.
His tone was tired as he asked "Why did you not consider this before, Mr. Potter?"
"He is as embarrassed as I was, ghergo'ir" Charok murmured as if appeased by another Potion Master having overlooked the possibility.
"I was working with a generic recipe, Professor. I was just considering whether there was an improvement I could make to the spell, when I realized modifying the potion would be more advantageous. Do you think I should ask the Headmaster for two hairs with the follicles attached?"
Draco interjected "You don't want this to be a surprise for him, Harry? I assumed you did."
Harry blinked and considered as he added more black cohosh. "No, I wasn't planning on it being a surprise; but I haven't said anything either. I was more concerned with the challenge involved, I think. If you agree that the hairs would be beneficial, perhaps I can send Dobby to ask him to come down."
"Adding the Headmaster's hair should bind the artificial skin to his magical core more readily" Snape agreed. "I will Floo him, Mr. Potter."
Harry had just finished blending the black cohosh root into the mixture when the Headmaster arrived.
"What is this Severus tells me, Harry? I understand that you have some modifications to the Facticius Corium recipe that you would like to try."
Harry glanced over his shoulder at the Headmaster. He was standing in the room, eyes twinkling, looking pleased to see Harry working with Draco and his godfather. The teen nodded before returning to measuring the silver dust. "Yes sir. Professor Snape concurs that this modification should permit you control of the hand and arm again. However, in order to bond it to you more thoroughly, we would like to add two of your hairs."
"I am delighted to be part of a variation that has the potential to do so much good for others. Should I pull out any two hairs, my boy?"
"Yes sir, as long as the follicles are attached." The timer went off again and Harry moved to add the crushed betony that Draco had prepared, so missed the Potions Master reaching over and pulling two hairs sharply out of the Headmaster's head as well as the Headmasters blink of surprise at the quick pain.
Harry focused on his task, but spoke to his audience. "As soon as the betony has simmered, we'll be ready for the hairs and silver dust. Then after it's cooled, we'll be able to apply it to the glove and then cast the Assimulo Vita spell. Perhaps you would like to try the glove on to see if it fits, Headmaster? We can make any adjustments in the sizing before it is coated."
Professor Flitwick came in as the elderly wizard was trying on the glove. "Good morning, Mr. Potter. How is your brewing progressing?"
The teen looked over his shoulder and smiled at the diminutive man. "Good morning, Professor. So far so good. We only have the hair and silver dust yet to add, then the cooling process before the spell work."
Dumbledore stroked the glove with his good hand. "What type of material is this, dear boy?"
"Bollocks!" Harry thought as he continued stirring. "Easy, ghergo'ir. Reply unemotionally and all may be well."
"Dragon hide, sir. I picked some up this summer, and as it's from a magical creature, it seemed to be a good choice. I have pants and belts made from the same material."
The mixture was thickening at a fast pace, so Harry examined the two hairs. Both had the follicle attached. He added the first, his lips curving up at the slight puff of smoke it created when it hit the warm potion. He stirred until he felt the time was right, then added the second hair and was rewarded with the same puff of smoke. He reached for the silver dust, and spread it lightly over the top of the potion, stirring just enough to blend it, and then removed the cauldron from the heat.
He smiled at the rapt attention everyone in the room was giving him and the cauldron. "Almost ready. By the time I clean up, it should be cooled enough to apply it to the glove."
"Would you like me to wear the glove as you apply the mixture, my boy" asked the Headmaster.
Harry paused as he picked up his tools and considered. "Do you see any disadvantage to that, Charok?" "A good idea, as long as he controls his magic while you cast, there should be no difficulty." the black dragon responded promptly.
"My only concern would be to ensure that your magic didn't compete with the Assimulo Vita spell, Headmaster. If you control your natural aura, it might be advantageous." He looked at the Potions Master and Charms Master. "What do you think, Professors?"
Flitwick's cheery face turned meditative as he considered. "As long as Albus' ambient magic was controlled, I don't see a problem. Severus?"
The Potions Master frowned slightly. "From a Potions perspective it is irrelevant, but I see no harm as long as the Headmaster's inherent magic is controlled."
Harry brought his knives, chopping board and scales over to the sink to wash. "Then as long as no one disagrees, we'll apply the mixture and spell while you're wearing it, Sir." He ran the water and added the soap, and began to thoroughly clean his tools, ignoring the quiet small talk behind him.
When his instruments were cleaned and stored back in the case he carried them in, Harry took a small brush and began to "paint" the artificial skin onto the glove. It became a smooth skin-colored membrane once applied to the glove, and Harry took care to evenly distribute the mixture across every centimeter of material. When he moved back to put the brush down, Snape stepped forward and examined the glove closely without touching it. Apparently satisfied that it was thoroughly and evenly coated, he nodded once at the Gryffindor.
The Charms Master now stepped forward, his eyes alight with interest and curiosity. Harry took a deep breath and began chanting the complex Assimulo Vita spell, moving deliberately through the elaborate wand gestures. As the chanting continued, a hazy silver mist encircled the glove. As Harry ended the casting with a sharp downward motion the silver cloud settled into the glove and was absorbed.
Harry took a deep breath and rolled his neck, letting the tension seep out. "Go ahead, Sir, try to make a fist."
The elderly wizard stretched his arm out and then focused on his hand. Slowly, the fingers extended and the thumb separated from the other fingers. With a smile playing across his lips, he bent the fingers inward and touched the tips to his palm, then pressed the thumb over the index finger. The slight smile turned into pleased triumph.
Harry offered him a crystal vial, and he stretched out, grasped it and wrapped his fingers around it, his smile widening. "I can feel it. It's not quite the same as it used to be, but there is definitely sensation there. This is a wonderful gift, Harry!"
Both Flitwick and Snape moved forward and examined the hand and arm, feeling the material and asking the Headmaster to perform other actions. "Try a spell with that hand, Albus" encouraged Flitwick. With a casual flick of the elder wand, the cauldron levitated to the sink, where soap was poured in, the water turned on, and a brush lifted off the side and began scrubbing. "The magic of the glove has no interference with my own" he reported in satisfaction. "Will I be able to get it wet?"
"That shouldn't be changed from the original recipe, Sir" Harry answered. "The original artificial skin was able to withstand all normal conditions for a human." He paused and then added "Being dragon hide, it is likely resistant to magic as well. You could always use that arm to deflect offensive spells."
"This is a very gracious gift, dear boy" the Headmaster said again with feeling, his eyes twinkling merrily at Harry.
"I appreciate you being willing to be the test subject, Headmaster" Harry said courteously with a slight bow. "This recipe will help many victims of burns and curses. Your participation was for the greater good, so to speak." He finished packing up his materials and turned with a distant smile. "Besides, it's bad for morale for both students and the general public to see the acknowledged leader of the Light so stricken."
He placed his hand on his chest and bowed slightly to all three Professors. "Thank you, gentlemen." To his surprise, Professor Flitwick duplicated his gesture, although kept his eyes on Harry's as he bowed as was appropriate for elder to younger. Harry felt and reciprocated his lowaar's surprise. Interesting… perhaps the man's goblin heritage was coming through.
He glanced at Draco, who acknowledged the question in his eyes with a slight nod. "If you will excuse us Professors, Mr. Malfoy and I have another appointment." He picked up his bag and followed Draco out of the room.
After dropping off his bag in their common room, Draco held on to Harry's arm as the Gryffindor tapped the stone in his signet ring and said clearly "Potter Manor". There was an immediate sense of being hooked behind the navel and space whirled around them. Abruptly, the sensation left and Harry went sprawling to the ground. He looked up at the smirking Draco who reached out a hand to help him up. "Merlin, I hate port keys. How do you do that? I can never land in a dignified manner."
"Malfoys are never undignified" he responded with a sniff of disdain.
Harry looked around them. "I thought Zigby said we would arrive in the Entry Hall. Why are we outside and at a gate?"
The blonde frowned. "Good question. The gate has the Potter crest on it though. Lay your hand on it."
Harry looked suspiciously at the Slytherin for a moment, but finding no indication of a prank, he laid his hand on the gate. A glow began around the ruby in his Potter signet ring and he found himself unable to let go of the gate, arching his back as a strong wave of magic ran through him. Abruptly, the magic ceased and he stumbled and would have fallen if Draco hadn't caught him.
He looked blindly at the Slytherin as his senses reached out, extending across the estate. He felt the boundaries of the land, each building and each life force. The land seemed to be welcoming him home.
Draco tightened his grip and called his name. "Harry? Are you all right?"
The whirling of his senses came to a halt as something snapped into place. "I..I think so. That was unexpected." His eyes were still unfocused. "I think the wards just transferred to me."
Tension eased out of the blonde as he nodded. "Can you sense all of the estate?"
"Yes, I've never felt anything like this before." The dark-haired teen shook his head, trying to ground himself again.
Draco nodded in understanding. "That must be why we came here instead of the house. You had to accept the wards first. Next time, we would probably go directly into the house."
Harry shook his head one more time, trying to adjust to having another perception nudging against his senses. "Well, the gate is open. Let's head up."
They walked up the crushed stone drive looking out on a manicured lawn with a variety of bushes, trees and flowers. As they came to the top of a small hill, the Manor became visible. It was a square multi-story neoclassical building with a stone façade mansion. The closer they walked, the more details became apparent. It appeared to have been expanded over the years, although the additions blended well with the older stonework. The Greek and Roman influences gave the mansion an air of elegance and beauty and a reflection of classical architecture.
As they reached the stately columned entrance they discovered double wooden doors of a burnished red-gold with runes carved into the wooden surround.
Draco touched the wood reverently. "Beatus Vita. This is wood from the Beatus Vita Tree".
Harry looked up from his inspection of the runes in the wooden frame. "What is the Beatus Vita Tree?"
The blonde looked at him in surprise and then shook his head. "Dumbledore has much to answer for, placing you in a Muggle family and forcing you to grow up ignorant of the wizarding world and your heritage." He touched the wood reverently again. "The Beatus Vita tree is the Blessed Life tree, a semi-sentient tree. Only a few are in existence. No tool or spell can cut a branch or topple the tree. Only if the Beatus Vita itself offers its hardwood can it be harvested. Even then, the tree itself determines the form of the gift. To have a gift this size, with these runes of power etched in, is beyond anything I've ever seen. Nothing can enter through this door that is not invited."
"Aironth always had great powers of persuasion" rumbled Ydraith in Harry's mind. "He spoke to the Beatus Vita on behalf of his adopted son, your ancestor as the Manor was being designed. Note the family motto in runes at the top of the door."
Harry tipped his head back and admired the runes. "In honor and truth, the Family will prevail" he translated. A sense of wonder filled him. Not only did he have thousands of years of Clan surrounding him, but he had generations of Potters as well. He was standing before the physical proof that he was not alone in the human world; he had Family.
Ortinoth added "Aironth helped his blood son choose this site for his future home. It sits upon the nexus of four ley lines. Your Opsola also called upon the Clan to help set the wards. They are among the oldest and most impenetrable in Britain."
Harry was both warmed and humbled at the thought of the entire Clan helping to guard his ancestor, an adopted son of the Juanth Darastrix. Knowing that their protections had stood the test of centuries, sheltering his ancestral home and family added to the awe he felt as he opened the door.
Upon entering the Manor, they found themselves in a three story entrance foyer. A curving grand staircase and alternating engaged and freestanding columns surrounded the room. Gold leaf decorative molding encircled the ceiling with a sotto in su painting in the center. Before Harry could take in his surroundings, they realized a line of house elves were bowing to them.
Harry recognized Zigby who greeted them with controlled enthusiasm. "Welcome home, Master Potter! Welcome as well, Lord Malfoy-Black."
Harry smiled at the dignified but excited house elf. "You don't have to call me Master Potter, Zigby. Harry will do."
The elf bowed and replied "Yes sir, Master Harry. May Zigby introduce the other house elves, sir?"
Harry managed not to roll his eyes at being "Master" Harry. "Yes, please do." He smiled at the line of elves before him.
Zigby bowed again and indicated each elf as he named them. "These are Twilly, Mibby, Filby and Gilly, Master Harry. Twilly is the primary cook, while Mibby, Filby and Gilly maintain the house and laundry." Unlike the Hogwarts house elves who seemed to make uniforms out of pillow cases, each of these elves were in either dresses or pants and shirts with the Potter crest. Moving on, Zigby indicated the next four. "This is Dalby, who takes care of the stable and Quidditch pitch. Flitby, Mally and Tibby take care of the grounds, sir." These elves were all in coveralls, but again the Potter crest was evident.
Harry smiled and greeted each one by name. "Thank you all for maintaining the house and grounds so well while the Family was away. This is Lord Draco Malfoy-Black, who recently became the Head of the House of Black." He paused as each elf bowed respectfully, then turned back to Zigby. "So there are nine elves?"
Zigby inclined his head respectfully. "Nine who serve this house, Master Harry. We can always bring in others temporarily when you entertain or have house guests."
Harry blinked at his wording. "Nine that serve this house?"
"Oh yes sir. We serve this house, Master Harry. Others serve at your other houses."
Harry shook his head. From living in a cupboard under the stairs to multiple houses in just a few years? That was going to take time to become accustomed to. He pushed it out of his mind and turned back to Zigby. "Draco and I would like to explore the house. Can you tell me how the house is laid out?"
Zigby waved his hand at the other elves, who bowed and then popped out, presumably to return to their duties. "Yes Master Harry. There are four floors along with the basement. The basement contains the wine cellars, vaults, weapons room and salle d'armes. The first floor has the formal and informal reception rooms, the great hall, the library, the billiard room, the music room, the portrait gallery, and the conservatory. It also holds the formal dining room, informal dining room, breakfast room, and kitchen. The second floor has the family suites. There are ten suites; each with a bed chamber, sitting room or study, a private bath and dressing area. The third floor has the guest quarters with twenty bedrooms. Every two bedrooms share a salle de bain. The fourth floor contains the servant quarters, offices, storage rooms and astronomy tower."
The elf bowed again. "Would Master Harry and Lord Malfoy-Black like to explore on their own or would you like Zigby to show you the house?"
Harry looked at Draco, who shrugged elegantly. This was Harry's ancestral home and he would follow his Mate's preferences. Harry turned back to Zigby. "We'll explore on our own for a while. When we reach the…informal…dining room, we'll stop for lunch."
Zigby bowed. "Very good, Sir. Master has only to call, and we will respond." He disappeared with a quiet pop.
Harry looked around the impressive entrance hall. "He said there are two reception rooms? I wonder why?" He moved to the right to explore.
Draco smirked slightly. "Wealthy families keep one room for strangers or mere acquaintances and the other for family and friends." They walked into a room decorated in taupe and ivory with a large fireplace and several formal seating arrangements. "This appears to be the formal reception room. See how neutral it is? It is elegant without being ostentatious. It gives nothing away about the family." Harry grinned at Draco's haughty approval of the room.
They walked across the entrance foyer to the second reception room for family and friends. It had pale lavender walls and deep purple and gold accents. "I think your grandmother enjoyed shades of purple" Draco muttered at the feminine colors.
The Great Hall appeared to be used for large gatherings. Crystal chandeliers lit as they entered the room showing off the polished wooden floors that warmed the space. Beveled leaded glass windows lined the walls, accented by Grecian columns. Double doors led outside to a terrace with both stone and wooden benches. Harry opened a door on an inner wall and followed the short hallway to find dressing rooms and bath rooms for guests.
The portrait gallery was off the Great Hall, and Harry could see it being a venue for people that wanted to get away from the noise if the weather didn't permit using the terrace. They agreed to come back to the gallery and moved on.
The music room was a wonderful south-facing room with a garden view. Natural colored oak floors were below a Baroque ceiling, while the walls were lined with what Draco identified as 16th century Italian embroideries. A grand piano stood near the center of one wall, leaving room for other players around it. Chairs and settees were scattered around the room in small conversation areas, but could be easily arranged to provide audience seating for a small performance. An inconspicuous closet was filled with sheet music as well as some modest instruments; likely those the children learned on before getting their own instruments.
The library was especially impressive and Harry knew Hermione would be delighted to spend several days there. The walls were covered with walnut paneling and gold embossed leather. Comfortable chairs were scattered throughout the shelf-lined room to provide multiple quiet reading areas, as well as two desks for research and writing.
Harry walked over to examine some of the books and blinked at seeing a brass handles on the sides of the shelf. He gripped one and pulled slightly and was amazed when it moved easily. While the outer shelves of the bookcase were horizontal, once extended it became a T-shaped module with the outer books in front with books on either side of the pulled out section. Essentially, the library held three times what it appeared to hold when the shelves were pushed in.
A pedestal stood with an open book in front of the near wall. Harry looked at it and found only blank pages. Draco came over to investigate. "Oh, that uses the library index. You write down the topic that you want, and it shows you the books that qualify. You can continue to narrow the search until you have a reasonable number of books. Once you find what you want, you tap the side where it says "Acquire", and the books will be brought to you. If this library is like the one at Malfoy Manor, if you leave them out overnight, they will automatically be returned to the proper location.
Harry picked up the quill, thought and then smiled. "Quidditch" he wrote. Immediately, a line appeared below his.
17 books found. Click Acquire to retrieve them from the shelves,
LIST to list the books and authors, or include additional qualifications
He thought and then wrote "Quidditch, Rules"
2 books found. Click Acquire to retrieve them from the shelves,
LIST to list the books and authors, or include additional qualifications
He clicked "Acquire" and watched two books a glow on the shelf on the far right before the books materialized on the pedestal.
Harry grinned at Draco. "That's brilliant! We could use that at Hogwarts."
"And lose our opportunity to speak with the lovely and ever charming Miss Pince?"
Harry rolled his eyes. "Merlin forbid."
Off the library, they found a billiard room. The floor was a pale grey-green marble with carved yellow alabaster walls. A huge mahogany pool table was in the center of the room under a large twin lighting fixture. Leather and dark wood furnishings gave the room a masculine, but comfortable feeling.
The conservatory was an in-house greenhouse, filled with delicate, rare, and exotic flowers and plants. A five-sided alcove enclosed a small pool on one end. Slender columns supported the glass roof and gave not only a sense of grace and spaciousness to the conservatory, but also permit maximum exterior walls are surmounted by an elaborate balustrade of pierced cast iron panels and finials.
An assortment of greenery and flowering plants were in the space. Happy humming called their attention to an elf who was watering the plants.
"Oh excuse Gilly, Sirs. Gilly was not knowing the Sirs were here." He bowed repeatedly at their appearance.
Harry grinned at the small figure. "That's all right, Gilly. I'm happy you're here. What can you tell us about the conservatory?"
The elf's eyes widened in delight. "Oh Gilly is happy to be showing the Sirs! The former Master and Lady used the plants here and from the greenhouse outside to fill the vases throughout the house, but mostly this room is just for enjoying. Here we are having blue Cupid's Bower, very pretty. These spiky salvias are good for filling bouquets, said the Lady. Here are red amaryllis and white and yellow oxalis, all in bloom. Over on that side are the dwarf trees that help provide fruit in the winter, but they are mostly to be looked at."
They admired the conservatory for a while before waving goodbye to the energetic elf and continuing their explorations.
The most dramatic room they found was the formal dining room. Harry stood in amazement looking around. It was two stories high and huge. Twelve red and rose alabaster columns support the gild carved cornices. Small masks on the gilt bronze capitols and life-size figures were set against murals of classical scenery around the room. Gold leaf was used all through the room. Two twelve-foot crystal chandeliers, made of thousands of crystal balls mimicked in the Great Hall hung from the ceiling. Twelve matching crystal wall sconces filled the room with gleaming light as they entered. The dining table was massive, composed of carved oak with matching chairs and covered with red damask.
"I can't say I would be very comfortable eating here" he muttered to Draco.
The blonde smirked at the brunette. "This is a perfectly adequate room for large gatherings. It complements the ballroom and while a bit extravagant, it isn't pretentious. This was obviously the style at the time it was built."
"Perhaps" muttered the other teen. "But I still wouldn't be comfortable here. Can you imagine spilling gravy on the floor?" He shuddered and the blonde laughed, and clapped him on the shoulder. "Let's find the informal dining room and get you something to eat."
Harry was much happier in the informal dining room. A long table in cherry had seating for twelve. The Venetian plaster walls were in a light blue, while the cream wood trim around the fireplace and on the wainscoting made it a clean and elegant room.
Two places were set and as soon as they walked in, Zigby popped in to greet them. "Are there any questions Zigby can answer yet, young Master?"
Harry smiled at the elf butler. "Not yet, Zigby, but we're still exploring. Although we're ready for something to eat."
"Of course, Sir! Twilly was very pleased to be cooking. She hopes to learn all the Master's favorites soon, but made an assortment for today."
Draco raised an eyebrow at the silver dishes set out on the table. At Harry's inquiring look, Draco said "These appear to be goblin-wrought silver, probably from the fifteenth century. The goblin craftsmanship is well known and prized, but they closely control how much is offered to the public, and few families use anything for casual dining."
Zigby smiled at the blonde. "Lord Malfoy-Black is correct, Sir. We have a service for 50 of these dishes. There are other services available as well if you would prefer something else?"
"Oh no, this is fine Zigby, thank you" Harry replied quickly. They sat down in the comfortably upholstered chairs and tomato consommé soup immediately appeared along with a basket of breads and flavored butters. Harry unfolded the napkin that had been in a fan shape and spread it over his lap, then tasted the consommé. "Oh please let Twilly know this is delicious. I'm looking forward to seeing what else she's come up with". Zigby allowed a smile to show on his face before disappearing with a small pop.
"So what do you think of the Manor, so far Draco? Not having been raised in a wealthy family, I'm feeling awed by all this. How does it compare to Malfoy Manor?"
Draco took another sip of his soup and selected a slice of still warm bread. "This is an ancestral home to be proud of, Harry. It's obvious your family entertained a great deal, or they would never have built the Ballroom and formal dining room. Even if you didn't grow up with the stories about your family from your parents, you mentioned that you found family journals in the Vault. Those will likely provide all the information you would otherwise have heard growing up. In fact, reading family journals is part of the home schooling that the children of many Ancient and Noble Houses enjoy."
Harry smiled at the blonde. "I only read the first part of Ealdred's journal, who built the first portion of the Manor. He was called the 'Margrave of Taunton' for some reason. But yes, I want to read all of the journals as soon as I can."
"Margrave? That's an old title. It belonged to a nobleman who supervised the protection of a border province usually."
Harry took several spoonfuls of soup before responding. "If he was a nobleman, then why is it the Ancient House of Potter and not the Ancient and Noble House of Potter?"
"Good question, but before the Muggle and Wizarding worlds separated, the titles came from the Crown. A Margrave could be appointed by a Duke or Earl, so it wasn't directly from the Crown."
Harry shook his head. "I'll never catch on to all of this."
"Sure you will. You only just found out about it. How could you expect to understand what I was raised knowing for the last sixteen years?"
Harry looked at Draco and a smirk. "Before the Veela Chose me, you would have been happy to mock me for my ignorance."
Draco lifted an elegant eyebrow. "True," he admitted. "Now I'll graciously grant you a few months to gain the knowledge you should have had before I mock you again."
Harry laughed just as their empty bowls were replaced with wild mushroom linguini topped with shredded parmesan. A side dish of asparagus and other young vegetables accompanied it.
They spent the meal discussing everything they had seen, while Draco let Harry know of the antiques he had noticed as they toured. He suggested having an inventory taken of the house if a self-updating one was not already available.
They ended their meal with a warm apple cake with cinnamon ice cream and caramel sauce. Harry chuckled as Draco's normally arrogant features showed ecstasy as he enjoyed the dessert. "You really do have a sweet tooth, don't you?"
The blonde didn't even bother to mask his enjoyment of the dessert. "I think I mentioned that since I gained my inheritance I practically lust for sweets. I think I want to get on and stay on the good side of your chef if she cooks like this all of the time."
After their late lunch, they continued their exploration. They found the breakfast room, which was a small intimate rook with silk wall paper and light fabrics. "If I live here alone, I can see taking all my meals here" Harry said as he examined the room with pleasure.
"Ghergo'ir, have you decided to reject the Veela?" interjected Ydriath.
"Huh? No, why do you ask" he inquired in surprise.
"Because you just mentioned living alone, implying that the Veela would not be a part of your life" responded the Healer.
Harry looked at Draco and realized he had a stricken look on his face. "Draco, I didn't mean that the way it came out..." The blonde turned away from him and took a deep breath. "Draco, look at me." He reached over and tugged at the other teen's arm, then moved in front of him. "I was not rejecting you, Draco. That was not my intent. I only meant that if there were only a few people here, this room might be better to eat in because it's cozy.
He felt worried as tremors seemed to be racking the blonde's body. "Merlin help me" he thought. He put both of his hands on Draco's face. "Draco! Look at me!"
The grays eyes slowly focused on his own. "Listen to me...I am not rejecting you, OK?"
The blonde took a deep, but shaky breath. "But you don't see yourself with me, either."
"Oh bloody hell" Harry thought, then wrapped his arms around the other teen and drew him close. "It hasn't been all that long, Draco. But we're sharing quarters, right? Could you imagine that a year ago? Even three months ago?" He rubbed small circles in the other teen's back and felt arms come around him slowly. "Who did I invite to go to my parents graves with me? Hmm? Hermione and Ron weren't there, Draco. You were."
Shudders in the blonde's frame alerted him before he felt the wetness on his shoulder that the other was weeping silently.
"It's OK" he murmured helplessly, rubbing the other's back. "It will be OK. I'm sorry Draco."
Slowly the shudders eased and the blonde took a deep breath, but didn't move or let go of the other. "I'm sorry, Harry. The Veela is hard to control at times. And while we've spent time together, you've barely touched me in the last few days, so that makes it even more difficult. And you haven't accepted me yet, so the slightest suggestion that you won't sends the Veela off into a panic."
Harry was surprised. He hadn't touched Draco? He thought quickly back to the last few days. There had been a hand on the shoulder, but other than a few moments, there had been almost no skin contact since Draco had dragged him out of their quarters to bring the finished potion recipe to Snape. "I'm sorry Draco. We've shared so much, between going to Gringotts and Godric's Hollow and the potion that I didn't realize I hadn't been giving you physical contact." He continued rubbing small circles on the other's back. "But you realize that you were the only one I shared my first visit to my parent's grave, don't you? I didn't want Hermione or Ron there. I invited you. And I could have invited Ron and Hermione and Neville today, but each of them would have had their own interest and I knew you would support me exploring at my own pace today. I only invited you."
Draco took a deep breath and withdrew from the embrace. His face was flushed with embarrassment and he turned away to wipe his eyes. "I'm sorry.."
"No." Harry moved back in front of him and took his face in his hands again. "No apologies when I was the one that forgot, even though I asked you what you needed several weeks ago and you were honest about the proximity and physical contact. I'm the one who needs to apologize."
The blonde sniffed again, this time with a hint of his former haughtiness. "You don't have to treat me like a girl, Potter."
"OK, then I won't offer to hold your hand as we continue exploring then" Harry said with a smile.
Conflicting expressions played across the Slytherin's face. "Salazar's slithering snakes...fine...I'll be a bloody girl for a while" the other groused.
Harry interlaced his fingers with Draco's, trying not to exhibit any embarrassment in holding hands with another male. "Come on, let's go see what else there is. We haven't even finished this floor yet."
Close to the Breakfast room was a butler's pantry. Cupboards and shelves lined the room and a long work table was in the center, used for polishing the silver, decanting wine, sorting the mail or other chores.
They walked into the kitchen and were met by a surprised but happy Twilly. "Welcome Sirs. May Twilly be getting you anything?"
Harry smiled at her. "No thank you Twilly, but I do want to thank you for the delightful lunch. Draco and I both enjoyed it. We're still touring the house and wanted to see the kitchen." It appeared to have been modernized since the Manor was originally built, but appeared to be at least a century old. Dressers and shelves lined the walls. An open fire was on one wall with an iron crane that could swing in above the fire while holding a cooking pot. A spit for roasting was on the other side of the fireplace. A cast iron stove was nearby and a large sink was nearby. Off in an alcove was another sink, apparently for scrubbing the larger pots. A wooden door was at the end of the kitchen and was locked, but Harry felt the ward open it for him.
"Where does this lead, Twilly?"
She hurried over. "Down to the Wine cellar, Master Harry. It's usually kept locked."
Harry frowned in puzzlement. "Can't you all just pop down to the Cellar if you need to?"
She shook her head adamantly. "Oh no sir! We is not allowed into the wine cellar. Only the head elf is allowed to go there. Only Zigby, Sir. Twilly is not knowing about the wines and liquors, Sir."
He nodded in understanding and she calmed down. "Want to take a look, Draco?"
The blonde drew himself up regally. "Are you joking? Miss seeing the wine cellar of an Ancient Family that hasn't been used in years?" He tugged on Harry's hand and practically dragged him down the staircase.
The temperature had dropped noticeably by the time they reached the end of the stairs. A wrought iron door with the Potter crest was at the end of the stone staircase. Harry laid his hand on the crest and the sound of locks opening was heard before the door swung open. Limestone walls and pavers led through multiple rooms. Harry shivered in the cool air. Row upon row of bottles lined the walls, grouped by use. Some daily wines were grouped in red or white with hand-written labels below each bottle identifying how best to serve it.
Harry let Draco pull him around the rooms until the blonde paused and stared at one wall. "Harry, these are elven wines." Harry shrugged, but stopped as Draco was staring blindly at the wall. "You don't understand. A single bottle would sell for thousands of galleons. You have an entire wall! This is...unbelievable."
Draco continued to drag Harry around the cellar, examining each wall and cluster of wines and liquors. After the fourth room, another door led to a new corridor. They followed that and came to a series of iron doors, each bearing the Potter crest. He looked at Draco who shrugged slightly. "The elf said vaults were down here."
Harry laid his hand on the crest on the first door and it swung open. Glass cases lined the room, each one with holding books, parchments or scrolls. Globes embedded in the ceiling and walls lit the vault with soft illumination.
Harry moved to the first case which held an ancient yellowed parchment. He squinted at it, trying to make words out of the writing. Draco was more versed in the writing and began to translate out loud "John, by the grace of God King of England, Lord of Ireland, Duke of Normandy and Aquitaine, and Count of Anjoy, to his archbishops, bishops, abbots, earls, barons, justices, foresters, sheriffs, stewards, servants and to all his officials and loyal subjects, Greeting."
As he was reading, Harry glanced at the unobtrusive metal plague on the front of the case. He nudged Draco who stopped reading. "It says it's the Magna Carta Liberatum dated 1215." He blinked. "Draco...this is a copy of the Magna Carta! The basis of all British law." He looked in awe at the antique document.
They moved on to the next case which held four ancient books. "Charmes for Meales and Feasts" Harry read "by Helga Hufflepuff!" He looked at the next book. "Enchantmentes for Staircases by Rowena Ravenclaw". He looked in amazement at Draco. "Dueling by Godric Gryffindor" was next to "Parseltongue Spelles by Salazar Slytherin".
"No wonder these are kept in a vault" Harry muttered in awe. They looked at the other cases, finding a variety of ancient parchments, treaties and books carefully encased and protected by preservation spells. Eventually, they moved exited and the vault door shut and locked behind them.
The next vault was also lined with glass cases, but held jewelry. Cases held individual bracelets, earrings, necklaces and rings, while others held matched sets. Another case held what the plaque named "girdle belts", long gemmed belts to be worn around the waist. A case of what Harry thought was necklaces turned out to be "Collars of Office" according to the plaque.
The third vault held a variety of fur garments, from full coats, to wraps to muffs. While not familiar with all of the types, Harry noticed plaques identifying mink, chinchilla, fox and sable. He recognized those names, but didn't recognize something called "a tanuki" and wondered what it was. Neither teen was particularly interested in the fur vault and left much faster than they had the other two vaults.
The last vault opened to reveal not only the standing glass cases they had seen in the first two vaults, but walls around the room were covered in glass cases as well. Various swords, rapiers, lances, spears, maces, and daggers filled the room. One wall was dedicated to bows and arrows. Braces of throwing daggers and stars filled one large glass case. "Most of these appear to be ceremonial" Draco said. "See how the handles have gems? They wouldn't normally bring gem-encrusted weapons to a battlefield, although foot soldiers sometimes put their pay into gems, and then just pried them out and sold them as they needed gold."
There were no vaults beyond this, but a door at the end of the corridor opened up to a large room with stone walls and floors. Racks of wooden and metal hand weapons lined the walls, although one wall was lined with mirrors.
"Oh, this must be the salle d'armes that Zigby mentioned" Harry realized. "A sort of training or practice room." They walked to the door on the opposite side of the room and climbed the stairs. To their surprise, it opened under the main staircase in the entrance hall.
Harry looked at Draco. "Well, we've seen the basement and first floor. Are you up for the second, third and fourth?"
"Since we don't really have to explore each bedroom in detail, I'm sure I can manage" Draco replied, rolling his eyes.
Intermittent six panel oak doors lined the hallways on the second floor. Harry opened the first and ventured into a small sitting room, capable of sitting six or eight people comfortably. Behind that opened a door into the bedroom. A large canopied bed dominated the room, although windows opening out to the manicured lawn overlooking the gardens also drew the eye.
One door from the bedroom opened into a lavish marble bathroom with a bathtub easily large enough for four people. The other door opened into a walk in closet that was at least three times the size of Harry's bedroom back on Privet Drive. A shoe carousel provided room for perhaps three dozen shoes or boots. There was space to hang dozens of shirts and pants, plus drawers for underclothing or sweaters. A large mirror stood in one corner, while a small settee was available to sit while dressing.
They spent only a few minutes in each suite, finding either a sitting room or small study in each. Every suite had its own private bath and dressing area as well.
The third floor had large comfortable bedrooms that opened on to a shared bath. Each was impressive without being too lavish. One common parlor was on the floor to be shared as a conversation area.
The fourth floor had rooms about the size of Harry's room at the Dursleys, each containing a single bed, dresser and mirror. Two large communal bathrooms were apparently shared by the inhabitants of the floor. A staircase led up to the astronomy tower.
The tower had a large glass ceiling covering part of the tower while several telescopes were set up for night time viewing. Harry noted that the telescopes all seemed to be rather old and made a mental note to ask about more powerful or recent models.
From the tower, they could look over the grounds in greater detail even though the light was fading into twilight. The grounds were formally landscaped with exotic plant and trees as well as multiple patterned gardens with stone walkways connecting them. What appeared to be a stable was visible perhaps a quarter of a mile from the house. Several large greenhouses were also visible in the distance.
"It looks like a Quidditch pitch over to the left there" Harry mentioned as he pointed.
"Your elf mentioned that. Your grandparents probably built it for your father. I understand he was quite the flyer."
"Oh, thinking of Quidditch, that reminds me. I've been meaning to ask, are you going to be OK with Slytherin playing Gryffindor?" At the curious look, Harry hastened to add "I mean, the Veela isn't going to have a problem competing, right?"
Draco considered it. "If you were angry with me for competing or beating you, I think I would have to withdraw." He looked at Harry. "Does it bother you?"
The Gryffindor shook his head. "You're my best competition among the houses. I would be upset if you didn't play."
A relieved smile brightened the blonde's face. "That's all right then. I'll do my best to embarrass you mercilessly with an easy win."
Harry snorted and pointed at one of the outlying buildings. "Zigby mentioned a stable. To me that means horses, but I'm not sure what a wizarding stable means."
Draco smirked and replied "It is considered an appropriately aristocratic pastime to ride horses, even in the wizarding world. Some families have thestrals to pull carriages for formal affairs. I wouldn't be surprised if your family had hippogriffs."
Harry grinned at the thought. He looked at the lengthening shadows and said "Well, it's getting a bit late to go explore the grounds. Maybe another day?"
Draco inclined his head. "Although you should come see Malfoy Manor at some point as well. I know Mother would like to take you shopping at some point."
Harry groaned at the idea of shopping, causing Draco to laugh at his dismayed expression. Together, they went to say goodbye to Zigby and used the Floo in one of the reception rooms to return to the Three Broomsticks, before heading back to Hogwarts.
Lowaar = Indwellers
Ghergo'ir = Young one
Juanth Darastrix = Elder Dragons
Facticius Corium = Artificial Skin
Assimulo Vita= Simulate Life
