Harry Potter and related properties belong to JK Rowling et. al. Independence Day and related properties belong to Roland Emmerich, Centropolis Entertianment, 20th Century Fox, et. al. Mass Effect and related properties belong to Bioware, Electronic Arts, et. al. This is a work of fan fiction, and thus all that belongs to me are the words, not the world.
Hannah I
December 31, 2000
Times Square, New York
Hannah wore one of her better dresses, one that was conservative by still showed what little curves she had at nearly fourteen. While her mother didn't really care, one of the many concubine of the Emperor of Mars, and the mother of the Princess Imperial, made Yolanda very open minded, Hannah cared about the image she portrayed to the world, or at least, the mundane TV-watching audiences of Earth. The Martians loved her for who she was, and since most of them weren't human, they really didn't have much concept of human social norms. To a kzin'shassa her knee-length dress, tights, low-heels, and wool peacoat were stifling, but then, if she was covered in fur she'd think human clothes were stifling too. The murgars didn't even wear clothes, since they didn't have any external sexual organs to cover. The acrids had mostly settled on wearing skirts, or kilts depending on the adopted gender of the acrid; though since most of the survivors were former slaves, it would likely be a generation or more before they could offer any constructive fashion opinions.
Today, though, Hannah was in Times Square, a pale shadow of its former glory just three and a half years after the destruction of Manhattan during the Independence War, appearing with her father and his current concubine, her aunt and uncle, and her cousins, including the nearly two-year old James. Luckily her father had decided that, as his heir, only Hannah would be joining the interview, and she wouldn't have to contend with her hundreds of siblings (mostly half, though she had three younger full siblings, luckily none of them at Hogwarts just yet).
That reminded her of the most difficult part of the interview, her schooling. It was halfway through her third year at Hogwarts, and the identity of her school was bound to come up. It had become a minor mystery when her father had declared himself Emperor of Mars and the existence of his horde of children become known. She'd been ten then, and so was still able to be in the public eye, though that changed when she was sent off the Hogwarts. So, her cover, and the cover of all her half-siblings, was that she attended an exclusive public school in Scotland, though she knew enough to call it a private school here in America. The only element of scholastic pride she'd been allowed was the silver and green scarf she wore in the crisp winter chill, and even that she'd have to sacrifice once the cameras were rolling.
"So, ready for the interview?" asked her father. Aside from the enamel flag pin on the lapel of his suit jacket, he looked just like any other politician.
Hannah shrugged, "I guess so, I mean, there's going to be a lot of us, and I doubt they're going to care much about me."
"Won't care?" asked her father. He gently grabbed her shoulders and held her at arms length, "You're my heir, the future Empress of the newest and grandest Empire known to Man. One day billions of Martians will look to you as their leader, their guiding light, their supreme example. The people of an entire world will follow your example. Yes, right now you're just a Slytherin, but eventually, you'll be the most famous witch in history."
"Really?" asked Hannah. "Though, I wouldn't call me 'just' a Slytherin. Although most of the older students don't understand, thanks to you, two-thirds of the youngest three years, and thus half of the students in total, look to me as their older sister. I just hope that one day you won't regret naming me your heir."
"Hannah, I'll never regret you, just as I'll never regret your brothers and sisters," said her father, and she knew he meant it. "I love you, and know that, once I step down, you'll be a great Empress. I also know that many of the movers and shakers here on Earth are interested in you, what your opinions are, and what you know. While right now you're just a thirteen year old girl, eventually you'll be the most powerful woman in history, reigning over an entire world. They know this, and so what you say, what you do, and what you believe, matters."
Hannah swallowed, a sudden pocket of dread and anxiety settling into the pit of her stomach. She wasn't sure if she was ready for that sort of fame, and wasn't sure if she'd ever be ready for it.
"But, that's for the future," her father hastily said to cheer her up. "Today you can just let me do most of the talking, and if you get uncomfortable, just say so, and we'll move on to something else. Okay?"
Hannah nodded, and gave a shy smile in response, "Okay dad."
"That's my girl," said her father with pride.
The next half hour was a bit of a blur, as Hannah was taken with her aunt Winnie, cousin Arty, and her father's current Concubine Melissa, to get their makeup done. Hannah hadn't ever been one of makeup, her mother's Jamaican heritage combined with her father's movie-star good looks gave her a natural beauty, at least in her opinion. The makeup artist complemented her on her looks, but then added what felt like a kilo of makeup that in the end didn't seem to make much of a difference. Her cousin and aunt were much the same, not looking that much different from before, though Melissa looked better, though the vain woman who was barely a decade older than she was had spent the last week on a transport from Mars, so she had actually needed the makeup.
Finally the extended Black-Shepard family was brought into the Studio, which had a large window that overlooked the thin crowd in the famous square below. It was early afternoon, so there was still a good eight hours before it would be packed with the New Year's Even crowd, the first official celebration in New York since the Independence War. The festivities had tried to make a go of it in Boston, but it just wasn't the same, or so Hannah and been told. Having grown up in London she really hadn't watched any of the American New Year's Even festivities, and so she only knew about it through her father's and mother's recollections. She'd be here for this one, though, before they flew back to Scotland for the start of the spring term next week.
The studio was arrayed in a familial setting, with a long couch, two love seats, and a single armchair around a low table, all surrounded with bright lights and a half dozen of the large video cameras. Her aunt and uncle were placed in one of the love seats, her cousin James held in uncle Siri's lap, while she'd share the sofa with the twins. Her father and Melissa would occupy the other love seat, and the interviewer, Diane Sawyer, was going to sit in the armchair. She was doing another segment right now, so the chair was empty.
"This is so wicked," said Apollo, flopping down into the middle of the sofa. He then turned around to look over the back and watch the milling people down below.
"I'm not sure why we're here," said Artemis, sitting down which much more grace than her younger brother. "I mean, sure, mum and dad are famous, and uncle Jimmy is too, and even Hannah's a bit famous, but why us?"
"You're here because they wanted to see out family," said Winona. Unlike Hannah or Artemis, she preferred to wear slacks, and was keeping her toddler on her knee, where he'd be kept out of the way.
"Then why aren't Joseph, or Jeanne, or Willie, or any of Hannah's brothers and sisters here?" asked Apollo, turning back around. "I mean, if it's about family, we're just a small part of it."
"They may be your uncle's children, but only Hannah here in his heir," said Sirius.
"What isn't Willie his heir? I mean, I'm not your heir, and I'm older than Appa here," said Artemis, gesturing to her younger twin.
"Because, unlike your father's house, the Imperial House of Shepard has linear primogeniture, rather than the agnatic primogeniture of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black. Take pride that you are a cognate of the Imperial House of Shepard," said Winona.
Artemis sighed, "Yeah, but I'm like the thousandth in line."
"Artemis, as if this morning you're the nine-hundred-thirty-second in line to inherit the Imperial throne of Mars, behind your mother, of course," chimed in Hannah's father, who was escorting Melissa to their love seat.
Melissa rubbed her stomach as she sat down, "Though that'll change soon enough."
"You're pregnant?" asked Winona excitedly.
Hannah just sighed, another half-sibling. It wasn't like her father hid his plans for having as many children as possible. Sure, he'd begun it to reinvigorate the magical population of Britain, but now that he was Emperor, he saw it as his duty to make sure humans were a significant minority within the Empire, though his liberal immigration laws had already seen a few hundred thousand immigrants just in the three years since Mars had been settled.
"We just confirmed it this morning," said Melissa.
Just then the lights flashed, and the production assistants came over to make sure that they were all in their places. After a quick glare from their mother, the twins sat properly on the sofa. Hannah, who'd already been ready, received a smile from her father.
"Okay, we're going to have a teaser first, and then we'll have the interview," said an anonymous producer in a bulky headset. Just then Diane Sawyer, wearing a conservative dark blue skirt suit came over and look her seat. The producer backed out of sight of the cameras and began a slow countdown with his fingers. When he reached one he pointed to the older new anchor.
"Coming up on ABC Two-Thousand One, we interview the Emperor of Mars and the CEO of Cerberus Inc., the saviors of Earth, and their family, now three and a half years after the devastation of the Independence War. We talk about the past, what they're doing now, and what the most influential siblings in the Solar System have planned for the future. Right after these words from our sponsors," said Diane looking into one of the cameras. The light had turned off during the middle of her short teaser and had switched first to the camera pointing at Hannah's father, then her Aunt and Uncle, and then to a wide shot of all eight of them, before returning to the anchor before turning off.
"And we're out, good job Diane," said the producer.
"Thanks," she said, adjusting her jacket. She then turned her attention to her guests, "Just like we talked about, it's going to be a two-part interview, each segment about seven minutes long. The first segment is going to focus on just Emperor James and Mrs. Black. A bit of history, then a bit focusing on your participation during the War. Then we go to break, and afterwards it'll be the family, introductions, how's life with the fame, and then back to the Emperor and Mrs. Black about your plans for the future."
Hannah's father and Aunt Winnie both nodded.
"Fifteen seconds," said the producer.
"Good, I'll do a bit on intro and then we'll start with you, Emperor," said Ms. Sawyer. Before anyone could speak up the producer once again began his countdown. "Welcome back, I'm Diane Sawyer, and this is ABC Two-Thousand One. With me today are two of the most famous people of the last four years, Emperor James of Mars and Winona Black, CEO of Cerberus Incorporated, and both heroes of the Independence War, who along with our later guest, then-Captain, now-Colonel Steven Hiller of the United States Marine Corps, piloted the famous Normandy up to the Acrid Mothership and forced the surrender and dissolution of the Acrid Empire. Then, in an action that's been hailed as equal parts generosity and greed, freed the enslaved kzin'shassas, murgars, and even acrids and set up the Empire of Mars."
She turned to Hannah's father, "So, Emperor James, tell me how an Iowa-born, and Colorado-raised, man goes to Britain to found one of the most innovative companies of the last twenty years, and then saves the lives of millions during the opening salvo of the Independence War before turning a mission to destroy the Acrid Mothership into the founding of the largest and most powerful Empire in human history?"
"Well, it was a matter of seised opportunities," said Hannah's father. "I mean, I lucked into my wealth after moving to the United Kingdom in Eighty-One, a matter of currency trading turning a few quid into a bit billion in a matter of months. Then, I discovered an injustice, my future brother-in-law falsely imprisoned. After getting his free, and introducing him to my sister, I took my fortune into investments."
"Some claim that your investment, and eventual takeover, of Morton-Thiokol saved the lives of astronauts when you revealed the sub-standard O-rings in the Space Shuttle SRBs," offered Ms. Sawyer.
"I've always had a love for space, and I saw the acquisition of Morton-Thiokol on Eighty-Four as an opportunity to have some small part in this great country's space program. Yes, my review of the engineering documents did reveal a potential danger in the SRB O-rings, and the dramatic test of a compromised O-ring demonstrated the danger, but it was the administrators at NASA who agreed with my conclusions that are the real heroes of that episode. That no accidents occurred is merely a demonstration of the continued standards of excellence at NASA," explained the Emperor.
"And what about the events of the Independence War?," offered Diane. "Thousands of Cerberus mercenaries helped evacuate Manhattan and the rest of the greater New York City area, saving millions during the opening salvo of the Independence War. Your advice for the governments of both the US and the UK saw millions more saved in London, Washington, and LA."
"New York, LA, and DC I'll take credit for, though only so far as I offered my consultation to the Governor and Mayor here, and President Whitmore," answered Hannah's father, using his usual tactics of transferring praise to others, and in the process make himself seem more humble. "I only wish that I could have done more to save lives around the world."
"And London?" asked Diane, though she already knew the answer.
"That was all Winona's doing," offered the Emperor.
The active camera switched to the one on Hannah's aunt and uncle, as the veteran anchor continued her interview, "That brings us to you, Winona Black, younger sister of the self-proclaimed Emperor of Mars, and now CEO of Cerberus Incorporated. You brother claims that it was you that saved millions in London, including the Queen and most of the Royal Family. How do you respond to that?"
"Like Jimmy, I used the connections I'd accumulated to gain the ear of the people in power, and luckily enough they took my advice, and began the evacuations. Unfortunately, we were unable to save so much of my adopted home's cultural heritage. While the rebuilding London is growing into a beautiful city, I wish I could have done more to save it, as well as the other great cities of Europe," opined Winona. "We were in the city that evening, when the ships came in, shopping for the coming school year. It was the twins' first year at their public school, what Americans would call a private school, and we were making a day of it. Sirius saved our family, while I did what I could for the city and the country."
"Once again, it seems that the famous Shepard modesty is in full force," commented Ms. Sawyer. "Once last question before we go to break. What was it like on the Mothership?"
Winona took a sharp intake a breath. Hannah knew that her father and aunt, and their friend Colonel Hiller, didn't like to talk about what happened on the Mothership.
"If I didn't already know that it was them or us, and that we were mainly targeting the forces of the Acrid Empire, it would have been more difficult than it was. It was the three of us against millions of troops, and it was only the surprise and Colonel Hiller's expertise that allowed us to carry the day," said Winona. "I'm not sure if I'd be able to do it again, if I was back then and there. Perhaps I'd have let Jimmy and Steve go up with a few others, make a proper assault out of it, rather than just go with the three of us. It was quite possibly the worst thing I've ever done. Yes, the solider and bureaucrats we killed were the equivalent of alien space Nazis, but even now, three and a half years later, I still have nightmares about it." Just then Sirius wrapped his arm around his wife's shoulder.
"Thank you for that sobering reminder of the horrors of war," said Diane softly. She then turned to face the camera properly, "Stay with us after the break, when we'll talk to the rest of this remarkable family. I'm Diane Sawyer, and this is ABC Two-Thousand One."
"And we're clear," said the producer.
"Sorry about that last question, I didn't realize it was so sensitive," said Ms. Sawyer.
"It's alright, you wouldn't know," said Winona. "Let's just focus on the present, and perhaps the future."
"Of course," said Diane. She then looked to the three teenagers on the sofa, "Now, I plan to ask each of you an easy question, just to introduce you to the viewers. You don't have to answer with a long story, but a few words or sentences will suffice."
"Okay," said Hannah, her affirmation quickly echoed by her cousins.
"Lord Black, we'll be touching on your relationship as well, and Ms. Simpson, obviously your relationship to the Emperor is very interesting to our viewers."
"Ten seconds," said the producer before anyone could respond.
"Welcome back, I'm Diane Sawyer, and this is ABC Two-Thousand One. With me this afternoon is Emperor James of Mars, his concubine Ms. Melissa Simpson, late of Cardiff, Princess Imperial Hannah Shepard, her cousins Artemis and Apollo Black, CEO of Cerberus Incorporated, Winona Black, and her husband, Lord Sirius Black, as well as their twenty-month old son, James Black."
"Now, Lord Black, we heard earlier how your brother-in-law got you exonerated and released from a maximum security prison, what can you tell me about the crime you were accused of?"
"Thank you Diane, well, I'm not proud to admit it, but I was thrown into prison for betraying my brother in all but name, as well as his wife and their fifteen-month old son, to a terrorist, as well as a terrorist bombing myself. Thirteen counts of murder, two counts of accessory to murder, and attempted murder," explained Sirius.
"Quite the docket," commented Diane. "But you didn't do it."
Sirius shook his head, "Now, I was framed by another man I called brother, he faked his death when I confronted him by setting off a bomb, killing a dozen others. I was distraught, I had lost so much, and it was my idea to trust Peter with James and Lily's location," explained Sirius. It was now his turn to be comforted by his wife. Hannah had heard the story before, but never explained in a mundane-friendly manner. It seemed more tragic this way, without the betrayal to Riddle. "Luckily, Jimmy found evidence that got me free, even got me a real trial, not the farce I'd been thrown into gaol under. After that, he introduced me to my Winnie, and reunited me with my godson, who'd survived the terrorist attack that'd killed his parents."
"Is that why you named you youngest son after him?" asked Diane.
"No, Jamie here isn't named after Jimmy, he's named after James, my godson's father, and my brother in all but name, though we only had Jamie after Winnie and I retired from teaching," said Sirius.
"You were a teacher?" asked Diane.
"Chemistry, Winnie taught Modern History," explained Sirius. "I retired when Apollo and Artemis began there, and Winnie retired shortly after the Empire was founded and she took over control of Cerberus, though she had intended to stay for another year and a half until the twins were old enough to take her class."
"And this is the same school where you attended, and your nieces and nephews attend?" asked Diane.
"Aye, it's a private school up in Scotland," said Sirius.
"Hogwarts," interjected Hannah's father, obviously surprising all of his family members present.
"Oh, it seems that's a bit of a sensitive issue, why is that?" asked Diane, realizing that her guests had just massively deviated from the planned subjects.
Hannah was worried, but not overly so. She knew that he father never did things without a reason, but she wasn't exactly sure what it was.
"It's a school of magic," explained the Emperor matter-of-factly.
"Magic?" asked Diane skeptically.
"You believe in aliens, but not magic?" asked Hannah's father.
"I know aliens exist. I mean, I've met them, I can verify they're real," the interviewer turned interviewee replied.
"But four years ago, if you were told that in six months a massive alien spaceship, a quarter of the size of the Moon, would arrive and kill a third of the population of Earth over a three day period, would you believe me?"
"No," said Diane Sawyer confidently. "I'd have called you a lunatic and then left."
"So why is magic so hard to believe?" asked the Emperor.
"Proof," said Diane.
Hannah gasped along with her uncle and cousins as her father extracted a wand from an interior pocket of his suit jacket. That she had her own wand in an invisible sheath under the hem of her dress wasn't an issue.
"This is a wand, specifically, the Elder Wand. I won it from its former master a decade ago, it's my most powerful wand, but not my only one. I can also perform magic without a wand, but it's less controlled," said Hannah's father. She'd enjoyed the story her father had told her of how he'd 'won' the Elder Wand from Headmaster Dumbledore, by first stealing it and then using it as collateral in a game of poker.
"I'm with you so far," offered Ms. Sawyer. Hannah paid more attention to the surprised members of the production crew than her father's theatrics. She knew that the Department of Magic wouldn't let this obvious breech of the Statue stand without a fight.
"There are many disciplines of magic, but my favorite for impressing the non-magical is transmutation, changing one thing into something else," explained the Emperor. He picked up a cup off the low table, one of many that had been provided for the guests to quench their thirst under the heat of the studio lamps. "This is an ordinary water cup, plastic, weighing an ounce at most." He handed it to Ms. Sawyer, who took it.
"You can confirm it's a water cup?"
"It appears as such," confirmed the former interviewer, having experience with the traditional stage magicians and their slight of hand.
With a wave of the Elder Wand, the cup quickly was transfigured into glass, specifically a pint glass, just like the ones used at the Three Broomsticks for butter beer.
"It's heavier," the anchorwoman exclaimed.
"It's glass now," commented the Emperor. Another wave, and it was transfigured into a fairly realistic porcelain pig.
"The detail is amazing," said Ms. Sawyer. "And I can't find any obvious tricks."
"These aren't tricks, Ms. Sawyer, but real magic," explained Hannah's father. With another wave of his wand the pig was now alive. While Hannah couldn't have done the same sequence of transfigurations, she was familiar with it, as it was a favorite of Professor McGonagall. The cup to the pint glass was a material change, without changing the type of object it was. Then to the porcelain pig was a shape change, though it remained ceramic, and the latest was a fairly standard non-living to living transfiguration. Hannah, having grown up knowing magic, hadn't thought it a significant challenge, but she understood the effects the transfigurations had on the stoic anchorwoman. "Nearly four hundred years ago the magical governments of Earth decided to hide from the mundane majority, only revealing themselves to those that were either in the upper reaches of government, like Presidents and Prime Ministers, or the parents of witches and wizards born into the mundane world. This was called the Statute of Secrecy."
"Was?" asked Diane Sawyer.
"Yes, obviously it's just been destroyed," muttered Hannah.
"But why are you doing this? Obviously if it was kept this long there's some sort of repercussions for breaking it."
"Ah, but remember, I said this was decided by the magical governments of Earth. I represent the government of Mars, and the Empire of Mars is neither a signatory of the Statute of Secrecy, nor a member of the International Confederation of Wizards. I also have diplomatic immunity, as does my daughter, my sister and her husband, and my nieces and nephews. This is the twenty-first century, or near enough here in New York. Aliens live and work here on Earth, being born among the stars, with ancestors native to planets we didn't even know existed four years ago. This is not an age of secrecy, and so, I decided that the biggest secret of the last four hundred years needed to be revealed," explained Hannah's father.
This moment, the opportunity for the Empire of Mars to break the social and political constraints of the governments of Earth, would be something that the future Empress of Mars would remember for the rest of her life.
Updated: May 6, 2014