Epilogue
We are pleased to inform you that you have
been accepted to the Equinox School
of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please do nav-
igate here on September twenty two.
First year students require plain work robes (black).
pointed hat (black). Magic wand. Protective
gloves (dragon hide or similar). Please track
assigned course books for each elective:
Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection.
The Standard Book of Spells first years will try.
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.
One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi.
STUDENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS ARE
NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICK. Au revoir!
Percy was dithering because Draco made him go in alone for the selection. Also, likely, because he hadn’t wanted to come to the ball at all but Draco pouted until he gave in. So here he was, being forced to choose between somewhat arbitrary categories and nearly unable to make up his mind.
It had Draco grinning, because of course Percy would take this more seriously than he needed to. Nearly everyone had. That’s what made the game fun.
It was another minute before Percy came out wearing a blue mask. He clung to a long black wand that didn’t have the slightest decoration. “This is stupid.”
Draco laughed at him and motioned to Audrey that it was her turn. Draco stood at the edge of a divider so he could see the line of people arriving, and those that walked out of the selection booth, without the groups being able to see each other. Because it was more fun if people had to choose without bias.
Brave and daring?
Loyal and patient?
Clever and learned?
Cunning and resourceful?
Draco made any attendee who brought a mask discard it in order to select from the provided categories.
For that matter, he made any attendee who didn’t follow the instructions discard their outfit and replace it with extras he’d sewn just for the night’s event.
Audrey walked out with her yellow mask after hardly any time at all. “I love the story of the enchanted knights!” She declared, waving her own orange wand about. It had glittery triangles and circles glued to it.
“But no one is just one thing.” Percy had probably also read the legend, and doubtlessly got the metaphor, but that didn’t help his very literal thought process.
“Congratulations, students!” Draco interrupted because it was for the best. “Here are your course materials. Go forth and show us which magic clan is the greatest of them all.” Audrey squeaked excitedly and took the bundle of pamphlets that stood in for course books. Percy was less excited, but took them out of duty since he’d promised to give the game a fair shot. “You can work together, but you are on different teams and only one can win.”
Audrey was already flipping open the book and musing, “I bet the herbs and fungi one is in French, the girls have been practicing all the natural elements.”
Draco couldn’t help but look pleased. “Don’t provide hints, Audrey, you should get extra points for helping Molly and Lucy with their studies.”
“That isn’t fair,” Percy complained, but Audrey was already dragging him away and into the manor house.
They were the last of the Weasleys invited, and had arrived on the latter side. Draco suspected more guests would wander in far past fashionably late, but he was willing to hand off the welcome process to a volunteer so he could finally enter the game himself. He swapped out a plain black mask for a green one without needing a second’s thought. Some considered Sir Slytherin the villain of the tale, but Draco knew who he was and saw the good in it.
The grand entryway was lit up with sparkly lights that looked like floating candles, as if by magic. Dozens of witches and wizards were scurrying between rooms where puzzles awaited their attention. Draco walked through the crowd and into the great hall beyond.
It was a vast, cathedral-like space illuminated by thousands more of the floating candles, with long tables laid out with glittering golden plates and goblets, all under a magical ceiling that appeared like a night sky with stars. The front of the room held a separate table where the equinox committee would eventually sit. Behind it was a large clock with runes and magical symbols, counting down the hours and minutes until midnight. Some ‘students’ sat at their assigned tables, talking, laughing, feasting and making merry. Most ran to and from the room, carrying tokens to deposit into large caldrons painted the color of their respective teams.
It was magic. Completely, spectacular, brilliant magic, and Draco felt giddy. It had taken months of planning and effort but now here he was, in the middle of a magical wonderland made real.
“Draco, finally!” Another man in a green mask nudged Draco as he approached. His pointy hat was green and looked as if things were growing on it. The green clashed with George’s red hair and freckles but he hadn’t hesitated to pick a team. A large head of house badge was fastened to his chest, marking him as one of the gamemasters. George held out a handful of tokens. “C’mon, mate, it’s not too late to have some fun.”
Draco smirked at him. “Aren’t you supposed to be at a station?”
“Ha!” George chortled. “I want to fly.”
It was no real hardship for George to drag Draco out of the great hall. They joined a throng of others running through the manor. Draco stepped on his toes and peered everywhere, seeking to take in the spoils of their labor. The doorway to each room was decorated fantastically, all elaborate murals with just enough of a hint to suggest what may lay inside. Anything and everything burst out of doorways. Purple smoke, globs of goo, mechanical trolls, students shrieking in terror and in glee.
Draco would have lingered, but his cousin was beckoning passerbys into a room decorated with what might have appeared to be monkeys, insects, and lizards, if you didn’t look too close. Luna had what may have been a stuffed platypus draped around her shoulders, tucked just under her blue hat. George charged by her, not making eye contact with her or the lanky blonde man at her side who held out a small mechanical dragon that was crawling over his hand. George yanked Draco through a doorway even as Draco watched the small thing launch up into the air, its wings swirling rapidly in flight.
George would probably be less jealous if the man courting Luna had only been less clever.
It had been a mechanical marvel to pull off the broom mechanism that let attendees swoop down from the third floor all the way to the first. Thankfully there was an open air vestibule that provided the space, and George had been more than willing to dedicate all his resourcefulness to the effort. He’d sworn everyone at the manor to secrecy when they began to test it over and over again to make sure it was safe. They should have started with a net at the bottom, but they got there eventually after one too many unfortunate falls. Now, anyone could pay a hard won token for the chance to dive off a balcony. If they were lucky, they’d win it back by tossing a ball through a hoop or catching one of the scattered winged golden-painted trinkets hanging from strings. Some party goers had fallen, but the net held.
Draco entered the room in time to see one man swoop down from above, both hands outstretched. He snatched a tiny gold trinket out of the air on either side, maintaining his balance just with the strength of his legs. The entire watching crowd cheered at the feat.
“Show off!” Draco yelled as Harry exchanged the gold balls for a token each. He was probably the only person making profit off this game.
Harry grinned at Draco’s jibing. Of course he was on the broom. He had been the first to give it a go back in the testing, and foolishly Draco had let him leap to it without considering that he was putting the king’s life at imminent risk. The red mask marked Harry as brave and daring, but Draco thought that wasn’t the half of it. If Sir Slytherin had been conniving and ambitious, Sir Gryffindor was a testament to how brave might be a positive spin on reckless and foolhardy.
Harry looked happy, though. That authentic happy he got out of doors after a vigorous ride, or from tromping around with Teddy and the other littles. It was infectious, and Draco felt no hesitation when Harry strolled over and caught Draco up in a kiss.
Most days, kissing Harry was one of the best things in the world. Draco wrapped his arms around the older man’s neck and pulled their bodies flush so he could feel Harry’s muscle against him. Harry moaned so soft no one but Draco could hear it, and flickered a tongue over Draco’s lips, igniting nerves that somehow lit up his entire body. “Wanna get out of here?”
Draco maybe did, but he pouted because it meant missing out. “I haven’t gotten to play the games!”
“I finished ‘em, and I’m telling you there are better things you could do.” Harry reached a hand into Draco’s robe to trail up Draco’s chest like he knew Draco liked.
Draco slapped Harry’s hand away. “You finished all of them?” He asked it pointedly because he had reason to doubt.
Harry huffed without losing his grin. “I might have skipped George’s.” Anyone wise would have skipped George’s. George set up his cauldrons so that when a person didn’t twist the knobs just right to indicate the exact correct quantity of ingredients they would receive a burst of slime to their face. More than a few people were running around with green remnants in their hair and in the creases of their nose and ears where they didn’t quite wash it all off.
“I bet I’d do it perfectly,” Draco said, all smugness. “I am exceptional at magic.” He twirled his wand theatrically in a way he’d never admit he had practiced. Harry’s eyes sparkled and the effort was worth it for his admiration.
“You’re exceptional at everything,” Harry said, once again snuggling his way into Draco’s space. Harry certainly had Draco’s number. Flattery could get you anywhere, at least when it was Harry actually being impressed.
He was so hard to impress, because he cared so little for most things. It was a shock to Draco, to discover how so much of the king’s apathy about clothes and balls and furnishing was because he well and truly didn’t care. Draco could tell it ran deeper than that. Deep into wells in the ground that were pitch black and Draco hadn’t found a long enough rope so that his metaphorical bucket could get to the metaphorical water that held all the king’s actual reasons he put up barriers between himself and things that he might actually enjoy. Sometimes Harry let details slip of terrible past events that almost certainly haunted him. It reminded Draco of all those times he’d stumbled across King Voldermort doing things Draco wasn’t supposed to see. Like he slipped behind a curtain against the rules. Most days he could pretend the curtain was there to keep the peace. The other days Draco said fuck it and dug his heels in and made demands of how Harry should live his life and they fought until Harry stormed away.
There was a lot left to figure out in their relationship, but the good days were good, and Harry flushed with the thrill of flying was good.
Draco caved and went with Harry. Of course Harry had already scoped out a room, off beyond the bounds of the ball. One might not know they were at the ball if not for cords of enchanting music and the occasional combustion of something Draco shouldn’t have let George explode indoors.
Harry returned to kissing Draco, an action that somehow took his whole body and left Draco breathless. Harry’s hands were at Dracos’ throat, untying the thin ropes that held his cloak on. Draco huffed when Harry let the cloak fall to the floor haphazardly, but then Harry did something with his tongue that had Draco tingling with anticipation and Draco clutched at the hair at the base of Harry’s skull right under his wizard hat instead of complaining. Harry followed suit, running his hands through Draco’s hair, for some reason back to front. The reason became clear when Draco felt his hat lifting. Draco actually yelped. “Careful with that!”
He could feel Harry’s laughter against his chest but Harry removed the hat gingerly. “Whatever you say, headmaster.” He waved the hat a little to show off the tiny black bats and cats that were carefully attached on black sticks sticking out in all directions. It created quite the optical illusion, that Harry probably would have admired if it wasn’t currently between him and his desire to have Draco naked.
Draco scowled and tried to take his hat back, but the king just laughed and held it carefully to the side until he could safely store it on a nearby desk. Then he spun around and caught Draco unaware to lift the younger man up off his feet before tossing him on the waiting bed. Harry was back on him almost as soon as he landed. Calloused hands ran up Draco’s thighs, over his hips, up his chest, then nimble fingers began vigorously unbuttoning his blouse.
“Eager,” Draco tried to tease but it was a touch too breathless to succeed.
“Want you.” Harry said between kisses. “We can do this fast, get you back to the party.” Draco pulled his head back so he could scoff. Harry took it as an invitation to kiss down his chin and nibble at his neck, while still unbuttoning his garments. “Don’t worry,” the words tickled Draco’s sensitive throat. “I’ll make it good.”
That spurred something in Draco. He reached out and grabbed one of the king’s wrists, pulling it away from his clothes. The other thread through Harry’s hair so he could get a good grasp of it in his fist and pull. Harry groaned and arched into Draco as the younger man restrained him.
“I’m not looking for good,” Draco all but growled. “You’re a wizard, Harry. I want magic.”
This groan was louder and Draco could feel the friction of Harry’s cock as he rubbed it against Draco’s own groin. “Magic,” Harry breathed. He stared at Draco with dark, hooded eyes and licked his lips in anticipation.
Draco released Harry so could pull away. With a skill and determination Draco might have been intimidated by, Harry swiftly untied Draco’s trousers and yanked on them. Draco lifted his hips to help and Harry eagerly pulled the pants off completely. That left Draco bare from the waist down while Harry was still fully dressed, including that silly wizard hat. It hid Harry’s face from Draco and he couldn’t see the exact moment Harry wrapped his lips around Draco’s cock and twirled his tongue around the head of it. It was good Harry was holding Draco down because Draco couldn’t make himself stay still while Harry’s lips and tongue sucked and every thought in Draco’s brain was centered on that wet blissful heat.
Harry sucked him down, down, down, and Draco couldn’t handle it. He grabbed for the older man’s dumb hat and threw it across the room because he had to see. He had to. He loved watching the way his cock went into Harry. It was so hot seeing Harry take him, it never got old. Especially not when Draco could see Harry drooling around his prick while his face was flushed with arousal. Harry was loving it. He absolutley loved taking cock and he was so good at it.
Harry had told him once that he used to hire prostitutes, when he was first learning about sex. There was one, his favorite, who would dress in delicate silks and fuck like a sledge hammer. Harry paid the man to teach Harry how to suck cock. Just because he wanted to be able to. He wanted to suck on someone like Draco and take him completely apart. While Draco still had very awkward feelings about the depth of Harry’s experience compared to his own, he was very much on board with one of the lessons Harry insisted on passing along.
“I’m clo - clo -” Harry reached one hand around Draco’s backside and slid a slick finger tip across Draco’s hole. “ohmygawdimsocloseHarryimgoingtocum-” and Draco did. His mind blacked out for who knows how long because it felt that good.
He felt Harry’s finger pushing into him, stretching him open, before he felt anything else. “Yessss,” Draco moaned because he liked that. Harry liked it best when Draco topped, but maybe tonight he planned to take a turn in response to Draco’s snark. “Put it in me,” Draco panted. He was wrung out and sensitive, so it would take a couple minutes before it felt good again, but trial and error taught him how much Harry liked it when he spoke dirty. “Put it in me, fill me up.”
Harry’s laughter rumbled through his body and into Draco. He pulled his finger out and nudged at Draco to turn over so that he had better access. Harry went back at it, now with a clear view of his finger slipping in and out of Draco’s ass. Maybe he liked it as much as Draco did, watching a hungry hole flutter. Harry pulled his finger out to apply more lube, which of course he had just waiting nearby. This time he brought back two fingers, stretching Draco further with their intrusion. He began to scissor his fingers, preparing Draco for something bigger.
Draco was ready to start begging Harry to put it in again when the strangest thing happened. Harry stretched his fingers out inside Draco and something wet and hot slipped in between them, lighting Draco out up from the inside out.
“Jesus christ what was that!”
Harry thrust it back in, driving the amazing feeling deeper into Draco. Draco tried to pull away but Harry had an arm wrapped around his hips to hold him steady as he thrust his tongue into Draco over and over again. It was wrong and gross and Draco definitely would insist Harry stop, except it somehow felt amazing and even Draco’s spent dick was starting to pay attention.
“Gnnnn Harry,” Draco groaned and it didn’t sound anything like the protest he’d intended. Harry certainly heard only encouragement. He had a finger all the way in Draco now, rubbing right up against Draco’s prostate as his tongue continued to lick and massage Draco’s insides. Without realizing it Draco began to thrust back against Harry, inviting in every pleasurable sensation.
It was torment when Harry pulled away, leaving Draco stretched and open. “Fuck, Harry. What the fuck.” Harry chuckled and nipped at Draco’s asscheek. Draco yelped, then turned to half glare at a grinning Harry.
“Got you hard again in record time,” Harry said with a smirk. “Just like magic.” It was true, Draco was young enough to have a decent refractory period but this had sped it up even for him. Harry reached around his body to rub a hand still wet with lube over Draco’s prick and Draco shuddered from the sensation. “So now you can fuck me.”
Draco dropped his head and groaned into the sheets. He was stretched open wide and would have loved to be filled up with cock, but of course Harry had a devious plan. Maybe he should have chosen the Slytherin team, afterall. Draco pushed up enough that he could grab at Harry and pull him around and onto the bed next to him. “You’re lucky you’re cute,” he groused, to Harry’s amusement. Draco reached around until he located the lube Harry’d stashed nearby. Then he lifted one of Harry’s legs to his shoulders so he could look at all of him, his tight hole, dripping cock, and beautiful face, all while stretching him open wide.
Only there was something odd tonight. Draco reached a lubed finger down to his hole and rubbed it around the edges of something already there.
“Ta da,” Harry said as Draco pulled at the thing inside him, revealing a long cylindrical shape that held him stretched open. Harry gasped as it moved inside him, rubbing against sensitive things. On an impulse Draco shoved it back in. It forced a gasp out of Harry. His entire body shook with the effort to hold still.
“This is some magic trick,” Draco said as he shoved it in again, jamming it towards Harry’s prostate.
“Ah!” Harry cried. He ground down against it. “Wasn’t sure how much time you’d have tonight, wanted to be ready.”
Draco’s throat was instantly dry at the thought of Harry doing this for him. He had it in him the whole night. It was there while Harry rode the broom. “Christ,” Draco said again. Then he pulled the thing out and tossed it to the side. “Roll over.”
Harry did, of course. Bossiness didn’t always do it for him, but tonight he was eager. He let Draco shift his hips to the perfect height so that Draco could line up his lubed up cock and shove it in with one go.
Fuck, that was it. That was everything. The feel of Harry stretched out around Draco’s cock, scathing hot and silky smooth, eager to take him all. Harry groaned for the millionth time and then pushed hard back into Draco so Draco would take the hint and begin thrusting.
They’d never gotten this part wrong. No matter how many squabbles or fights they had, they could always come back to the sex. It felt good even when Draco knew Harry was using it as a distraction from all his other problems that overwhelmed him. That wasn’t what Draco wanted to be for him, but sometimes it’s what he could offer, and the thrill of gripping bruises into Harry’s skin while wildly thrusting with everything he had was an excellent consolation.
Draco had one hand on Harry’s shoulder and he used it as a leverage point to pull their bodies together as hard as he could with each thrust. He knew Harry’s body now. He knew exactly how to angle it for maximum sensation, so that in a matter of minutes Harry would rasp and mewl and moan for him. It was a heady sensation, causing this much pleasure. It made him want to do more, to go harder. He wanted Harry yelling. He wanted him to shout. He wanted him to lose all inhibition and explode from the pounding Draco gave him. And since Draco was on round two he had time to pound Harry into oblivion. And it was working. Harry was shouting. He cried out as his ass clenched around Draco’s cock, and Draco knew Harry was cumming. Draco kept thrusting, just as hard and fast until Harry was over sensitive and whimpering from the feeling. It still felt good to pound into his hole and Draco chased the sensation until finally he was able to let go in a final explosion of his own. He cried out, too, before collapsing on top of Harry’s back, completely wrecked.
They laid like that longer than they should have, with both men basking in the afterglow of their release. Draco mouthed along the back of Harry’s shoulder, sucking marks into his skin because he liked knowing they were there under the king’s clothes, marking Harry as his.
It was Harry who rolled them both over. He tried to go for a kiss but Draco pushed him away. “Wash your mouth, you’re disgusting!”
Another laugh. Harry was filled with laughter tonight. “You liked it.” Draco shoved him off the bed and towards a bowl of water for cleaning up. Harry could always be counted on to be prepared for sex. They were exclusive long enough that they agreed to move past condoms, but clearly Harry was comprehensive in his preparations. Draco washed Harry brush his teeth before catching sight of the clock. Somehow it was half past eleven. He hardly had any time!
Draco jumped off the bed and scrambled for all the clothes Harry had tossed about the room. He shoved himself into all his pieces. “I can’t believe I let you wrinkle everything.”
Harry leaned against a wardrobe, still naked. He looked exceptionally smug as he watched Draco scramble. “You look great. I’d certainly do you.” Draco picked up a pillow that at some point made it to the floor and chucked it at Harry. He laughed and knocked it away.
Thankfully there was a full length mirror that Draco could use to try to fix the worst of it. He’d still look rumpled, and his hair was nothing less than shagged out, but everything was in the right place and when he perched his hat atop his head it somehow pulled the ensemble together.
Harry paused buttoning up his own trousers to stare at Draco’s figure. “We could just stay up here and have another go.”
Draco didn’t have time to find another pillow to throw. Instead he flipped Harry off and left the room with Harry’s laughter trailing behind him. As much as he huffed, he did love how Harry wanted him. He still doubted sometimes that Harry could be happy with him. Harry seemed to see it, and most days he did his best to show how Draco was everything he wanted and needed.
The grand hall was crowded by the time Draco made it back. Students were rushing in to deposit the last of their tokens to their respective team’s cauldrons. Others sat at the grand tables, already drinking and feasting.
Draco took a deep breath to steady himself. He hadn’t meant to arrive just before midnight when the spotlight would be immediately on him. However, needs must, and Draco knew how to command a room under pressure. When the clock started counting down the final minute, Draco stepped up onto the raised dais where the Committee members were already perched. He strode forward, all confidence, to the very middle. He struck the most commanding pose he could manage right as the clock started to chime. Twelve beats rang throughout the room, signaling the stoke of midnight.
Every person in the room turned their attention to Draco, and he basked in it.
Most days, Draco was pleased for his quiet life in the countryside. He had Teddy, and nearly every day Rose and Hugo would come to play. There was almost always either Ron or Hermione, and, when she wasn’t at court, Aunt Andromeda. He constantly exchanged letters with his mother in Durmstrang. His friends visited all the time, or he’d go visit Luna even further into the countryside, or Percy and his family in the City. Sometimes, when Draco really desired adventure, he’d travel here to the giant manor house George had converted into a university of sorts for those with engineering aspirations. He had a million and one things to be happy for, to be grateful for.
Some days, he remembered he could have had things another way. He thought about how he’d been born to greatness. How he could captivate a room with his charm and wit and brilliance. He’d been offered the chance to stand in front of a court like this every day and hold their admiration. It’s not that he wanted that, except for in these little moments when he really, really did. Because he was good at this. He could smile out at an audience and make his voice carry without ever shouting. “Welcome to a new year at the Equinox School of Witchcraft and Wizardry!” he could accept the cheers and joy the people offered as if it was his due.
It was a little dangerous, though, to accept it all for himself. His father might have done that to advance his own agenda, but Draco was far from his father. This time he chaired the committee, but it took everyone to pull off the event. That’s why he’d given titles to the game masters and invited them all up on stage. It let Draco introduce the “professors.” He used his power as host to urge everyone to cheer on the game masters who’d poured their hearts into the individual pieces that made up the whole of this party. George, in his green mossy hat. Luna, effervescent in blue. Hannah, wearing yellow as bright as sunshine. Lee, with red dragon scales. The audience cheered for each in turn, celebrating their creations.
Draco liked this better. He liked seeing his friends light up with pride. Maybe one day he could go back to court, maybe accompanying Teddy when he came of age, and Draco could learn to do this there as well. He could bring people together to support each other instead of be cruel, and help Teddy thrive in a kingdom that wanted him to succeed. For now, he could do that here, for all these people who wanted to be a part of something magic.
“The time is upon us. Each of you joined us for a grand experiment to determine once and for all what makes a witch or wizard great.” This was the cue for four assistants to run out and stand behind each cauldron. George had helped hide a scale under each one so it would be easy to know which had the most tokens from weight alone. The helpers all motioned the results to Draco, who tried to suppress a smirk.
“In fourth place,” perhaps it was cruel to say, but Draco was never going to be too kind a person. “The brave and noble Gryffindors!” A loud groan rang out from their table, nearly droned out by the loudest of all, Lee Jordan. Draco wiggled his eyebrows at them. “Me thinks you spent too many tokens on the broom rides.” Which lit the table up in laughter and applause.
“In third place,” Draco paused again for dramatic effect and he waited until everyone held their breath with him. “The brilliant and studied Ravenclaws!” There were more sounds of protest, but now also good natured cheers. Draco clapped as well to celebrate their work, but he nodded to the rest of the room as he said, “Let it be a lesson to us all that it takes more than brains to succeed.”
“With two contenders left, I will announce the winners.” Draco nodded to a band at the back of the room, “Drumroll please.” The drummer picked up his sticks and started making noise. It was Lee who first joined in, slamming his fists on the table. The whole Gryffindor table picked it up, followed swiftly by everyone everywhere in the room until the ruckus was so loud Draco could hardly shout over it to be heard.
“Hufflepuff!” At his announcement something clicked, and around the room huge banners that had previously been hidden in the ceiling art suddenly unfurled, displaying the crest of Sir Huffpuff all around them. Something whirled at the Hufflepuff table, and what previously might have appeared to be center pieces began to spin, shouting out large yellow bubbles that floated across the room, filling it with Hufflepuff yellow.
Hannah squealed and jumped to her feet, thrusting both hands in the air in celebration. Her entire table jumped up as well, shouting their excitement and hugging each other with glee.
Draco tried to make himself heard over the lot of them as he shouted. “Turns out no amount of cleverness could overcome the value of loyalty and teamwork!”
Everyone was cheering now, even the Slytherins who had to settle for second place. It was how it should be. Everyone celebrating together.
It was the glee that made it magic. All the people coming together in joy. Tonight was exactly what Draco wanted. It felt like anything was possible. Maybe tonight someone met their true love under the starlight. Or escaping a dragon. Or getting covered in sludge. Anything could be a fairy tale. After all, each person got to choose their own happily ever after.