The Conspirators Gather
After the girlfriend he didn't even know he had departed, Jadin turned his attention to the items she'd given him. He read every word of The Quibbler, multiple times. So there were some magi who didn't approve of what their Ministry had done. That was good to know, at least he hadn't wasted his time and efforts to help save a bunch of ungrateful assholes from a problem of their own making.
The thick issue described what he and the Mentors had done at Hogwart's, the part they played in bringing down the Dark Lord; it also had accounts of what happened after that battle was won. The departure of the digimon, the show "trials" before the Wizengamot kangaroo court, the orders of Obliviation. Rita Skeeter contributed several pieces, a brief biography of each Mentor, background information concerning Albus Dumbledore and his how he double crossed Jadin and the Mentors. She included interviews of Hogwart's students and faculty of their recollections of the Mentors, and of Jadin's sojourn as a student and member of House Ravenclaw. Also, she wasn't completely above doing a bit of self-promotion of her new book.
He read the Life and Lies of Albus Dumbledore, and saw that it fit the pattern: Dumbledore was a user, a master con man, a Dark Wizard wannabe. Dumbledore had neglected his own sister after their mother, Kendra, died. The only thing that had turned Dumbledore away from the Dark Arts was the death of Ariana during a three way wand duel between Albus, his younger brother Aberforth, and Grindelwald. Just the type to say one thing to Jadin's face while sending reports to the Ministry of Magic that said just the opposite. That's what he did, and Jadin had the proof right there in The Quibbler. Besides, had not Hermione recommended Rita Skeeter's book?
Still, Jadin wasn't about to be conned a second time. So far, all he had was Hermione's say-so. There was another way.
Draco Malfoy had accompanied Jadin to his flat for help with his school work. They'd settled around the kitchenette table, as they did at least once every week since the beginning of the term, after Draco had asked if Jadin would help him.
If there was anyone who better fit the saying, "Just fell off the turnip truck", he couldn't imagine to whom it would apply. Draco Malfoy had approached Jadin, introduced himself, and asked for help with school work. The state of his knowledge was abysmal. Jadin wondered how he even qualified for the same grade level. He wondered how Draco knew him, despite Draco's insistence he'd made a random choice.
Being that Draco always wore black, he thought he was a Goth at first. However, Draco didn't know anything about it, had never heard of any of the main Goth bands, knew next to nothing about pop culture, or high school culture in general.
However, Draco demonstrated right off that his lack of knowledge wasn't due to stupidity. He was a fast learner. Jadin decided that Draco must've led a very sheltered life.
"Put that away", Jadin told him.
"I thought we were gonna work on pre-calc? We have a big test day after tomorrow", Draco protested.
"I have something I believe you'll find quite interesting. I know I sure did".
"What?" He couldn't imagine what he could possibly have.
Jadin slid the broken pieces of Rowena Revenclaw's diadem across the table, in front of Draco.
Eyes widened: "Where'dyougetthat?" Draco looked very anxious at the sight of the horcrux he'd helped Harry recover and destroy. He realized too late that he should have denied knowing what it was.
"From Hermione Granger, I guess I can't say she's an old school chum, what with her being in Gryffindor and you in Slytherin, but you did go to school together. You know what that is, right, the Lost Diadem of Rowena Ravenclaw?".
"She told you? She... we... aren't supposed to tell... We could be sent to Azkaban for this!"
"Not supposed to tell what, Draco? How your Ministry of Magic betrayed our trust after we helped save you from Lord Voldemort? How they cost us our partners? I don't suppose they'd want such a despicable act to come to light, would they?"
"It's not just that... we aren't supposed to tell muggles anything! The only exception is married couples..."
"Well, now I know, and soon, so will the rest of the Mentors, and after that, every muggle, at least in all the developed countries. Xenophilius said it himself, 'Down with the International Law of Secrecy'. That's what's going to happen, Draco. It's the only way I can bring Impmon back".
Draco whipped out his wand.
"I'm recording every word you say, your every action since you arrived. If it's your intent to fuck up my memories again, the video evidence will be uploaded to the 'Net, and everyone will know".
Draco looked all around, he saw nothing, and he missed the computer in the corner of the living room: "How?"
"You aren't the only ones, Draco. We muggles have our own unique brand of magic, so to speak". Draco put the wand away.
"What are you talking about?"
"Think about it: what's the biggest blind spot of your world? What is it that you never had at Hogwart's? What was it that you never learned between all that bullshit about casting spells for this, or brewing some goop for that?"
"I... I... I don't know!", Draco stammered.
"Computers. Technology. Did you ever see a computer at Hogwart's? Ever have a lesson on the Internet? Do you have a PDA? Do you even know what a PDA is? Do you suppose Dumbledore ever knew what a computer is? Was any of that ever mentioned in those Muggle Studies classes you never bothered to take because muggles are so far beneath your contempt? Well, Draco?"
"No..."
"What do you owe them anyway? Rita Skeeter was sure busy, and certainly loves gossip. Told everything about how it is that you came to be going to school with me and why you aren't at Hogwart's. We're pretty much in the same situation: we were both betrayed by the same assholes. Voldemort would have won, had you not shown Harry where he could find that", Jadin pointed to the pieces of the Lost Diadem. "Just as he would have won if the digimon hadn't come to fight off his Death Eaters. If that horcrux had survived, Harry would not have kicked his ass straight into the flaming pits of Hell. What did that get you, Draco? What did that do for your Mom and Dad? We both know that no good deed ever goes unpunished, don't we?"
"What of our traditions? Jadin! You're gonna destroy us! They'll persecute us!"
"How exactly? What changes, really? How did you manage before 1689, when you were still free to tell, or not? When you had the freedom to work your magic without having to fear who might see you do it? If everyone knows about Hogwart's, how does that prevent you from attending? The education still won't be of much use to muggles, even if they decide to enroll. How will they pass their exams if they can't cast even the simplest spell? It's not like you're gonna be overrun with muggles.
"Which of your fucked up traditions are even worth preserving? House elves, they hate your guts. No love lost between your family and Dobby, was there? I learned that one named 'Kreacher' was so desperate to get away from you all, he begged us to take him to the Digital World. How popular are you with goblins? Or centaurs? Didn't they help Voldemort attack Hogwart's? Didn't come to your aid did they? How long until that blows up right in your face?
"Persecution, Draco? Do you honestly believe that we muggles will go around burning witches? Really? The Burning Times ended 500 years ago, when science, not superstition, began to inform us. They ain't comin' back. It'll be a shock, but within a year, your existence will have faded into the background noise of everyday muggle life. Did you know the digimon were on the verge of revealing themselves?"
"They were?"
"Yes, Draco: revealing their existence, establishing full diplomatic relations between the worlds, transit across the Frontier: they weren't afraid. Who would be harder to accept? A witch or wizard who looks no different from any muggle, or the digimon? Your whole world is so stuck in the Middle Ages you can't even see how radically the times have changed.
"How about that Voldemort anyway? How many like him have there been? He almost kicked your collective asses! If he'd've been just a tad smarter, he would have succeeded. Had it been me instead of Voldemort, I would have prevailed..."
"How?"
"Think about it: I'm immortal so long as I have at least one horcrux. I know about this prophecy about the Boy Who Lived, so what do I do?"
"I don't know... kill him?"
"No, Draco, I hole up, twiddle my thumbs for a hundred years. What's a century? I'm immortal, remember. I literally have all the time in the world. So I wait until Potter has led a nice long life, dies of old age. The 'Chosen One' is gone, so now I strike. I also wouldn't make it so easy, by making horcruxes out of things like that", he pointed at the Lost Diadem. "I'd pick an old can of cat food here, a piece of junk there, and I would drop one way out there in the deepest part of the North Atlantic.
"But, then, I'm not a murderous, narcissistic, arrogant, sociopathic, whack job.
"What happens when the next 'Dark Lord' (finger quotes) comes along, and this time he's smart enough to learn from Voldemort's mistakes, and the Digimon aren't there to save you because we Mentors can't remember who you are? Because the digimon never came since, out of respect for your 'traditions' (finger quotes) the Digimon Sovereign kept the Frontier closed. Did any of you geniuses ever consider that?
"Your tight, little, backward, insular ghetto guarantees just that kind of fuckery. Did Dumbledipshit ever consider that?"
"I thought you liked..."
"Draco, Rita Skeeter was right. He was a user, a con man, and a very slick one at that. The only thing he wanted was Impmon and his fighting abilities. He conned me into believing otherwise, telling me one thing in person while saying the exact opposite behind my back. Why do you think your Ministry decided we Mentors needed to have our memories fucked with? Dumbledore as good as suggested it in the reports he was sending to the Ministry.
"He did the same to Harry. Pretended to be a surrogate father after sticking him in an almost abusive, loveless environment. That worked out as good as if he planned it. He claimed Harry needed to live with a blood relative to continue benefiting from his mother's self sacrifice. Maybe that's true and maybe it's not. Nevertheless, he knew what they were doing to Harry, and he never lifted a finger to stop it.
"Can you think of a better way to turn someone into your personal cat's paw?
"All Harry's life, he was setting him up to sacrifice him for his cause. He would have done just that except me, Hermione, and Dorugremon stopped him before he could walk right into Voldemort's camp. If it hadn't been for the Mentors and the digimon Zhuqiaomon sent to help you, it's quite likely Harry would have died. Even though Dumbledipshit took that swan dive off the Astronomy Tower, he still had enough influence over him that he was still willing to go along with Dumbledipshit's twisted plans".
"Why are you telling me all this?"
"Because you're smart. Because we have a common cause, though our reasons are different: I want Impmon back; you want your father out of Azkaban, you want the good reputation of your family restored. Impmon isn't coming back unless the Wizarding World is dragged into the light of day, and Lucius isn't getting out of Azkaban unless the Ministry falls. I intend to take it down, Draco. That way, we both get what we want. I think we can help each other".
"How do you know I won't report this to the Ministry?"
"I don't. You might curry favour with your Minister, maybe your Dad gets out of Azkaban a few years early. I don't know. But I do know this: I will not spend the rest of my days wondering when, if, Impmon is ever coming back. I'm not gonna wait until you wizards decide to come out on your own. I know I'm taking a chance, and if you report me, well, them's the breaks. I would, however, consider what Xeno Lovegood had to say on the matter. I leave you to think it over. Now, about that Pre-calc test..."
Later that evening, Jadin sent a message to the other Mentors, now that he knew their names:
I know you won't remember me, but I'm Jadin Weston, and my partner was Impmon. If you're anything like me, you miss your partners very much. I know I'd like nothing better than to see Impmon again.
I also know why all our partners were taken from us. Yes, that's what I said: TAKEN. They did not leave us. I also know who is responsible for this outrage. I also know why you haven't been able to contact your partners in the Digital World.
I have a plan that, should it work out, will bring our partners back. We will also gain for ourselves some righteous payback.
If you are interested, please contact me back. Time and place TBA.
Regards,
Jadin & Impmon
Next Saturday, Hermione apparated into London from Hogsmeade, ostensibly to see her folks. Now that she was a Sixth Year, taking her NEWT level courses, she had that extra measure of freedom. She took the Underground to near Jadin's flat.
"Hermione", Cecilia greeted, "I wasn't expecting..."
"That's OK, Ma, I'm coming", Jadin called out before appearing. "Hey, Hermione", he said, as he greeted with a hug. "So, how is everything at Hogwart's?"
"The messes have been cleaned up, and Hagrid's working on restoring the lawn. We're back to classes, though we lost all too many of our classmates during the battle. There are vacancies in every class, and they all seem a lot smaller still. Nearly everyone knows someone we lost... that night. Would have lost a lot more, had it not been for you".
"How about Harry? How's he adjusting to being, well, just plain ol' Harry instead of the Chosen One?"
"Pretty well, actually. He's in the Auror Program, and I don't think he's going to have any problems getting accepted as an auror when he's done".
"I... see", Jadin said.
"What does that mean?", she asked. Hermione sensed that Jadin did not approve.
"Nothing", he replied. "Can you tell me more? More about who we were involved with?", Jadin asked.
Hermione filled him in on the missing details: the house on Grimmauld Place, how Harry happened to acquire it, its dual purpose as the HQ of the Order of the Phoenix. Harry and Dobby. Meeting Dorugamon in Godric's Hollow, Aberforth Dumbledore, how he partnered with the digimon, how he helped keep the Room of Requirement stocked as a refuge from Voldemort's Death Eater faculty.
"I need to know if you'd be willing to help me get Impmon back?"
"We were all just as outraged as Xeno Lovegood. He does speak for quite a lot of us. That's probably the only thing that's kept him out of Azkaban so far. The Quibbler, however, was shut down".
"So much for freedom of the press, terrific".
"I don't like it either, but what can we do? It was a Ministry decree".
"I need you to do something for me. I can't explain now, but I will explain soon..."
"Why so mysterious?"
"I need for you to promise you will tell Harry nothing, not that you're seeing me, nothing about what we've discussed so far, nothing we may discuss in the future. Keep him in the dark..."
"Not tell Harry? After all we've been through? Jadin, we were - are - friends!"
"You should be avoiding aurors like the plague. Draco told me you could be kicked out of Hogwart's for even seeing me, and Azkaban is a very real possibility. Draco said the only exception is marriage between a magician and a muggle".
"My personal life is none of the Ministry's business..."
"They seem to think it is very much their business. No freedom of speech, no freedom of the press, and now, no freedom of association: wonderful Ministry you have there", Jadin said with heavy sarcasm. "Hermione, Harry's an auror wannabe, and soon an actual auror: a nark, a cop, John Law, the heat..."
"Harry wouldn't", she shook her head. "He would never betray his friends!"
"Wouldn't he? Hermione, it takes a certain mentality to be drawn to that kind of life. One that obeys orders without question, one that won't bend the rules. Inside every cop, there's a bit of Inspector Javert. His career choice demonstrates that he very much supports the entire corrupt system. That he supports the system that condoned what happened to the Mentors means he is no friend of mine". Jadin shook his head: "Not any longer".
"That's not fair, Jadin..."
"I realize you've known Harry far longer than you've known me, that you have been through a lot together ever since you were First Years. I know what I'm asking. Let me ask you: what happens if some future 'Xeno Lovegood' (finger quotes) says something some future Minister of Magic doesn't like, and Harry, in his capacity as an auror, is ordered to arrest that man or woman and take them to Azkaban?"
"Harry would never do that!"
"So you think he'd throw away his entire career, risk Azkaban himself, by disobeying a direct order from his Minister?"
"Of course he would!"
"Can you be so sure? Did you read The Quibbler? Do you know who it was that hauled my ass off to Azkaban? It was Kingsley Shacklebolt and Nymphadora Lupin!"
"Kingsley... and Tonks?", Hermione really hadn't read that part. "I didn't know. How could..."
"They betray me?", he finished for her. "I thought they were my friends! We were in the Order together, you said so yourself not twenty minutes ago. Tonks went to the Digital World with me! Did they disobey an immoral order? Did they risk their careers, their freedom, by choosing to do the right thing, or did they choose the expedient thing? Did they risk Azkaban themselves for a principle? We both know the answer to that one, don't we? When they had the choice to do the right thing, when they had to choose between friendship or serving Pius Thicknesse, how did they choose? Their answer is crystal clear.
"Can you, in all honesty, tell me Harry would do differently?"
"Harry isn't like that!"
"So he isn't an officious prick like Tonks and Shacklebolt? You think he's a better man than they?"
"Yes! Harry would never do what they did..."
"I saw the look on your face when I mentioned Tonks and Kingsley. You thought the same about them, didn't you?".
Hermione recalled: Kingsley had been with the aurors sent by Cornelius Fudge to arrest the Professor on suspicion of sedition. This same Kingsley had corrupted the memory of a key witness in the case against Dumbledore. He had aided and abetted the escape of the Professor, who had used Fawkes to escape from Hogwart's. It was this same Kingsley who lied about knowing how Dumbledore had escaped, buying him the time he needed to disappear until that night when she, Harry, and a half dozen of their friends had ridden thestrals to the Ministry to rescue Sirius Black, who Harry was convinced was there, being tortured by Lord Voldemort.
Hermione couldn't look up: "Yes", she said in a barely audible whisper.
"Hermione, the more you tell him, not only the greater the danger to you, but also Harry and the rest of your friends from Hogwart's. I'm not asking you to betray him; I'm not asking you to betray a trust. All I'm asking is for you to not tell him certain things: that we're seeing each other, which, really, is none of his business anyway when you come right down to it. If nothing else I've said has made an impression then consider this: do you want to put him into a position that could end his career in Magical Law Enforcement before he's even begun? Do you want to put him in a situation where he will have to choose between lying to protect you, or telling the truth to betray you if he is ever asked by some official from the Ministry if he knows who Hermione is seeing? If he really doesn't know, then his saying so will be the truth. You can be completely honest. If you are asked who you're seeing, just say you aren't comfortable with saying. If asked where you're going, just say 'London'. That's being completely honest, and all you're doing is not volunteering any extraneous details.
"It's imperative that you tell no one at Hogwart's: not Harry, not anyone. Otherwise, I doubt we'll ever be allowed to see each other, to be together. I've already lost Impmon, I don't want to lose you too".
"I don't want to lose you either. If only you could remember...". Her voice failed her, and her eyes were misting up.
Jadin hugged her tight: "It will be alright, I promise".
"D-d-d-do you think so?"
"Yes, I believe that as much as I believed anything".
Draco Malfoy seriously considered reporting everything Jadin had told him directly to the Ministry of Magic. Could he get Lucius released? That was not guaranteed, but he thought it likely that Minister Thicknesse might consider a pardon in exchange for the alert to a threat to the Wizarding World's secrecy. Would the Malfoy's be forgiven? He highly doubted that. It had been common knowledge, ever since Potter named names to Rita Skeeter, and The Quibbler published all the details, that the Malfoy's were up to their eyeballs in involvement with the Dark Lord.
Nothing could change that.
Draco figured he owed them nothing. Had they not all but hounded him out of the Wizarding Community? What prospects did he have? Would the Ministry ever trust him with any position of consequence? Had not his mother urged him to enroll in muggle high school for that very reason? He decided to say nothing, except to his mother when the time felt right.
Hermione thought long and hard over what Jadin had told her. That he feared aurors, that, and the allusions he made, suggested his plans for getting Impmon back were dangerous and illegal. She could understand his desperation, and she couldn't say he was wrong. That she would have to conceal her activities from her good and long time friend, Harry Potter, and the other Gryffindors with whom she'd shared most of her life didn't exactly sit well with her. That she would one day not tell Harry what she was doing unimaginable. But Jadin was right: if he knew too much, if he was asked what he knew, his position could prove very difficult. She didn't completely agree, and so decided to ask around very discreetly: Jadin would need all the help he could get...
The replies started coming in: first Rita Knowles answered back, saying she was in if he could do anything to get Renamon back. Then Terry Kaminsky and Henry Wright on the same day. It wasn't until Friday that Yvonne answered back. She nearly missed the message, as she'd put her digivice away, wanting to forget about Hawkmon. She'd heard it beeping in the back of a closet by chance. She, too, answered Jadin's call.
They were all definitely interested in whatever he had in mind.
The following Saturday, Hermione told Jadin that she agreed: she would not tell Harry anything about what they were doing together. Jadin, in return, told her that next time they met, it would be with the Mentors, and the planning would begin.
Jadin arranged to have the flat to himself; he told a partial truth: it was a reunion with the other Mentors he'd met during his stay in the UK.
Hogwart's students made their way to Hogsmeade by ones and twos, nothing unusual. They apparated to all parts of London before converging. Draco and Narcissa had arrived first, being that he lived with his mother just outside the city. Draco made a decision of his own, and informed his mother.
"When do they arrive?", Narcissa asked.
"Not long, they all agreed to come. Some might look a little young, but don't let that get to you", he warned.
"I know, I was there in the Great Hall when you introduced them", Draco reminded. "I told my Mum all about it".
The Mentors arrived first, as they arrived, Jadin introduced them; Draco remembered them, but they didn't remember him. They'd never met Narcissa. The bell rang, and Jadin went to see...
"Hermione! What the hell? Didn't I tell you, our little secret?"
"They had to come", she explained. "You didn't think Dumbledore's Army would abandon you, did you? They were all your closest friends".
"I know you don't remember me, but I wouldn't be here if it hadn't been for the digimon... Neville Longbottom", one greeted.
A ditzy acting, weird dressing, barefoot girl extended a hand: "Luna Lovegood, from Ravenclaw. I was proud to fight by your sides, yours and Cyberdramon's", she paused. "They put Father in Azkaban", she said.
"I don't know if I ever met your Dad, but I liked what he had to say. That's not right, sending him to prison for expressing an honest opinion".
"Horace Sedgewick, we Ravenclaws stick together". Jadin knew he was his roommate only because he'd read Rita Skeeter's interviews of Hogwartians who knew Jadin.
"Bloody hell! What're they doing here?", a red haired student with freckles said.
"And a good morning to you too, Weasel King", Draco replied.
"I heard there was some... history between Draco and the Gryffindors", Jadin explained. "I can assure you that, whatever Draco may have been in the past, is past. He and his mother are my friends. I trust them, and they have a damn good reason to help us".
"Sorry", he apologized. "Uhhhh... Ron Weasley", he offered a hand.
"Ron's brother, George. You used to come to our shop in Diagon Alley, Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. You were there at the Burrow, last Christmas, and for my other brother, Bill's, wedding. When the Death Eaters attacked, that's when and where you went to the Digital World". He could tell Jadin had no idea as to what he was talking about. Jadin had no idea what "The Burrow" referred to.
"Ginny Weasley", another girl introduced herself. "You and Impmon gave me a lot to think about", she explained. "I wish I could have helped you, but I was under-age and my parents wouldn't let me fight. You were very good with thestrals",
"Hermione told me I had, but I don't remember".
"Percy Weasley", an older sibling introduced himself. "I used to work for the Ministry, but I refused to come back after Voldemort was defeated. Not after what they did".
Finally, the biggest, hairiest man Jadin had ever seen offered a hand like a ham that engulfed and swallowed Jadin's hand: "Rubeus Hagrid", he introduced himself. "Furss time we met, Impmon took ter meh boarhoun, Fang, rye off... I doan recollek innyone tayken ter him thah fass. Same with you an meh thestrals... Sorry boud Impmon, thass not rye. No sir, thass nauh rye adawl". As he shook his huge, hairy head.
"Hermione told me I had you for Care of Magical Creatures, and I did pretty well".
"Aye. Thass rye, yer shirly did".
Jadin introduced the Mentors, though they couldn't recall meeting before.
"OK, everyone, I set out some snacks and iced tea, before we begin", Jadin offered. A platter of cold cuts, bread, and condiments. After snack time, and mutual reintroductions, Jadin called the meeting to order.
"First off", Jadin began his presentation, "I'd like to review a little history. I beg the indulgence of my fellow Mentors, as this will be nothing new to them".
With that, he clicked the remote, and the opening theme of Digimon Adventure 02 began playing. This was the final episode. Hagrid, being of tough exterior, but a real softie inside, daubed at his eyes with one of his over size handkerchiefs at the part where Yukio Oikawa sacrificed himself to regenerate the Digital World.
"You are probably wondering why I showed you that. Let me take you back to the mid-1980s. It was during this time that a group of enthusiastic comp-sci... err... computer science students, calling themselves the 'Wild Bunch', developed a project. This wasn't just artificial intelligence, but virtual life. The creatures they created came to be called 'digimon'. They were programmed to evolve. Struggle for survival of the fittest, like wild animals. The strong devoured the weak, assimilating their data, to fuel their evolutions.
"The Wild Bunch failed to get a grant, and so had to abandon their project. Since it was Open Source, anyone could use what they had developed. A video game company picked it up, the digimon lived on as video game characters. However, all the while, the digimon continued following their original imperative: to evolve. They continued evolving until they became, not just programs, not just artificial intelligence, but self-aware entities.
"As such, they took over the Digital World. At first, it was thought that it had arisen out of our computer networks, However, this proved a false assumption: the Digital World was already in existence, though desolate and mostly uninhabited. We have no idea as to how old it really is, and, quite possibly, it's as old as the universe itself. We likewise have no idea as to who came before digimon, or what happened to them. There are ruins that they left behind scattered all across the Digital World. The only remaining survivors are what are called the 'Ancient Ones', about whom very little is known.
"Fast forward to the summer of 1997. In South Dakota, a group of line workers doing routine power line inspections reported seeing what they described as an 'eagle as big as a small airplane' land on a nearby transmittion line tower. Though it was late evening, they are quite certain as to what they saw, as they could compare sizes with the tower. There were lots of sightings of these Unidentified Mysterious Animals, or UMA's.
"That fall, in Indiana, a nine year old boy claimed that a 'big black bird' actually grabbed onto his jacket and lifted his feet right off the ground. He was carried across the yard. His friends yelled at it, and threw rocks, causing it to drop him. The boy said he next saw the 'bird' land on a tree top. He said it was as big as a man. It flew off, and they quickly lost sight of it. There was speculation that it was an unusually big hawk or eagle, or even a California condor who somehow flew inland, far from their normal habitat. They said the boy was imagining things, that no bird could lift a ninety pound boy off the ground. They could not explain why a hawk or an eagle, even an unusually big one, would do such a thing. Despite all that, the boy and his friends never wavered, their story never changed, not with the frequency they told it, nor as often as it was contradicted. There was a rash of sightings of these strange critters that year.
"Japanese intelligence actually brought these witnesses to Tokyo for a debriefing. The result? The 'large eagle' the linemen had seen? That was Aquilamon. The boy from Indiana? He identified the creature that lifted him off the ground positively as Devidramon. The Japanese government was the first to discover that digimon exist, and determined that they were appearing here, in this world, in a fully physical form. How creatures, no matter how intelligent and self-aware, that are made up of nothing more substantial than data, can exist apart from the systems that support that existence is something not fully understood. The Ancient Ones, having the ability to cross the Frontier at will, to manipulate the very structure of matter itself, are somehow involved. Much more than that, no one knows.
"What do you do if you know such strange beings are going to begin appearing? How do you head off the mass panic? Their solution to the problem is what you just saw: the government was behind the creation of Digimon Adventure, and "02". That way, people would know what they were seeing, or their kids would know. They'd recognize them as digimon.
"The Japanese told us of their intentions: it was right there in the epilogue: establish diplomatic relations with the Digital World. They even named the time frame: 25 years. The whole point was an announcement to the Digital World: we want to live in peace with you, we want to establish diplomatic relations. Their timing was off, but it had begun to happen, just as they said. We, the Mentors, were the initial contacts.
"Only now, something unexpected happened, and if you've seen The Quibbler, you know what that is. Qinglongmon, Ebonwumon, and Baihumon decided that the Frontier would be closed, and all digimon here in the Material World immediately recalled. The only one in opposition was Zhuqiaomon. I can't say I blame Qinglongmon: he's right, it's not the responsibility of digimon to 'out' the Wizarding World.
"I warn you: if we are successful, lives are going to change, and change radically. As radically as though Voldemort had prevailed, if not more so. I am going to ask of you to think the unthinkable. If that scares you, if you have any doubts, then you may leave right now. No one will think any the less of you, and you may leave us in peace. If you should decide you're in, you're in all the way, no second chances to back out later. I ask that you think this over very seriously. It's no game we're playing here. Is that understood?"
Jadin waited. No one left.
"I will address the Mentors first. What I am about to tell you will sound absolutely crazy. That's what I first thought when my friend, Hermione, told me what I'm about to tell you. Our partners were taken from us by a man named Pius Thicknesse. It was entirely his doing, and he caused, not only those of us here in this room, but Mentors everywhere, our partners. Even the ones who had nothing to do with it.
"First of all, everything you think you remember from last spring onwards is a lie. Our memories, and that includes me, were altered..."
There were interruptions, expressions of incredulity.
"I ask that you hear me out, please, let me finish. As I was about to say, witches, wizards, warlocks - they really do exist. These other folks with us, are indeed numbered amoung their ranks. These people I called friends, but I don't remember any of them, so what I'm about to describe comes second hand. I assure you: what I'm about to tell you really happened.
"Last spring, we and our partners, fought on the behalf of these magi. One of their number, a young man, Tom Marvolo Riddle, self styled as Lord Voldemort, or the Dark Lord, tried to take over the government of the magi. It's called the Ministry of Magic. My partner and I made their acquaintance, quite by chance, and we agreed to join their fight against Voldemort. Impmon and I were inducted into the Order of the Phoenix, an organization formed to oppose Lord Voldemort. I asked for volunteers amoung the UK Mentors, seeking allies. You are the ones who responded, agreed to help. When Voldemort attacked, magi used a magical technique called 'apparition' to bring you and your partners to Hogwart's School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
"It was on the campus of Hogwart's where we fought and won. Lord Zhuqiaomon came, and delivered the decisive victory over Voldemort's forces: the Death Eaters, as Voldemort named them. Once Voldemort was defeated and dead, how did the Ministry show their gratitude? They cost us our partners, erased our memories of all we had done for them. The Minister of Magic, Pius Thicknesse, stole our partners, and he stole pieces of our lives. As I understand it, these magicians here today were very good friends to the both of us. I fell in love with a truly lovely and just a plain good person: Hermione Granger. I can recall nothing of my friendships, nothing of my love for Hermione.
"It's even worse, because, this Ministry is highly fixated on secrecy. They don't want those of us who lack magical ability, they're called 'muggles', to know of their existence. This is why none of you can even contact your partners, and why you haven't been able to for six months. If you doubt me, you can ask them: they met you, fought with you. They met your partners. They can describe in detail what happened at Hogwart's.
"I have a newspaper from the Wizarding World: The Quibbler", Jadin held up for all to see. "I also have scans of its contents". Jadin passed the hard copy to every Mentor. "The publisher of The Quibbler, Xenophilius Lovegood, was thrown in a prison called 'Azkaban'. His crime? He dared to express an honest opinion. He is in Azkaban because he spoke up for us. I don't know about you, but this is unacceptable".
The Mentors read the highlights, expressions of disbelief and astonishment. But it all fit the patterns of everything they'd experienced.
"Is any of this really true?", Rita asked.
"Yes, Rita, it's all true", Neville answered. "After Voldemort's Death Eaters had taken over Hogwart's, I was slated for elimination because I and Gran refused to go along. I found a special hiding place, but we couldn't stay there forever. That's when a special portal appeared which led to the Hogshead where the owner had partnered with Dorugamon. It was he who kept us supplied, and also let us get back on campus to fight Voldemort".
"How..."
"It's the Obliviation Spell: it erases memories, and can replace true memories with whatever false ones we'd like for you to believe", he explained. "My parents were aurors, and worked quite closely with the Obliviators on numerous cases where muggles had seen something they shouldn't have, and where there was no way to explain away what they'd seen".
"Why would they do that to us?", Terry asked.
"Aside from the fact that they're ungrateful assholes", Jadin explained, "they are paranoid to the extreme. Maybe Neville would explicate for us?"
"Certainly", he began, "it's called the 'International Statute of Secrecy of 1689', and prohibits magi from revealing their knowledge of the Wizarding World, or performing magic in the presence of muggles, or in muggle-inhabited areas. It also provides for the obliviation of any muggles who see something they're not supposed to see. This was cited as the reason why they altered your memories so you wouldn't remember fighting at Hogwart's. It's also the reason why your partners were ordered back to the Digital World, why you can't contact them".
"Why? What was the reason? What did you do before 1689?"
"The original reason cited was in reaction to witch burnings. Real witches and wizards feared that they would come under persecution. Later, it was believed that secrecy would allow us to preserve our traditions without interference. After the Enlightenment, slavery became unacceptable in the muggle world. Would this apply to house elves, who, being under obedience enchantments, are, in effect, enslaved? We deceived ourselves into believing that it was for their good, that muggles would attack them for being so different.
"As for before, we were free to do magic anywhere, anytime. Lots of muggles saw, hence the stories, and legends about witches, wizards, and sorcerers. This statute worked quite a lot of hardship on magicals, families were uprooted, had to leave homes, professions, friends and family, to set up insular communities away from muggles. It was also a loss of freedom and privacy: the Trace every magical child wears until he or she is seventeen, the detection of all wand-magic, the regulation that all wands retain records of previously cast spells..."
"Then why don't you repeal it?", Yvonne asked.
"It really is an anachronism, but change comes very slowly in our world".
"So our partners aren't coming back?", Henry asked.
"No, they aren't. Not if we rely on the Wizarding Community to reveal its presence", Jadin explained. "I've lived with these folks, and they never change. They still use quills and inkwells to write, they still use candles and torches for light. so far as technology, they're barely into the nineteenth century".
"By what right do you do such a thing! How dare you interfere with our progress? How dare you interfere if we want to have diplomatic relations with the Digital World..."
"You're right, Terry", Percy spoke up. "If we weren't prepared to deal fairly with the Mentors, we shouldn't have dealt with you at all. Professor Dumbledore should have obliviated Jadin and Impmon, and sent them on their way. Lord Voldemort was our responsibility, not yours..."
"We would have kept your secrets", Rita replied. "But you didn't ask".
"No, we didn't, and that was very wrong", Percy agreed.
"No more arguing", Jadin announced. "Qinglongmon is right: it's not the responsibility of digimon to out the Wizarding World...", he paused to let that sink in. "It's ours", he announced. "We are going to drag the Wizarding World out of the fourteenth century, and into the light of day. Imagine this: it's a normal day just like any other day. Then, suddenly, all over London, all over the UK, strange buildings and places appear out of nowhere. Diagon Alley, the Leaky Cauldron, St, Mungo's... Hogwart's, as plain as day. All seen by way too many people to obliviate. There will be no denying their existence. If we are to get our partners back, the Ministry of Magic must fall".
"Yeh canna do thah!", Hagrid was the first to speak up. "Spose the Wizardin Whirl, whah yer on aboud? Err yeh daft? I dinna tink yer wehr thah selfish..."
"You can't!"
"No, Jadin!"
He held up his hands for silence before continuing: "Hagrid, you're damn right I'm selfish", he said with deadly seriousness. They weren't expecting him to admit it that readily. "I'm not like Professor Dumbledore, I don't play his bullshit games. I'm laying all my cards on the table. No hidden agendas. I will not be anything less than fully honest with you. I want to see Impmon again, and I refuse to let anyone stand in my way".
He pointed: "Rita, you don't want Renamon to come visit you in the old folks home, do you?"
"No", she said.
He pointed again: "Hermione, would you tell us how many of Hogwart's house elves have been offered their freedom?"
"None", she replied softly.
"Care to speak up?"
"I said 'none': no house elves were offered their freedom".
"What kind of gratitude is that? S.P.E.W. doesn't seem to be working out very well, does it? How long do you think it will take before your ideas are even given consideration? Think you'll live that long?"
"No. Probably not", she agreed.
"Do you like being a second class citizen, Hagrid? Like being a half-breed? Tell us how fairly the Ministry treated you when Voldemort falsely accused you of terrorizing Hogwart's with the Beast of Slytherin. Explain why you carry that silly pink umbrella".
"I'm not s'pposeter have a whan, but Dumblederr..."
"Yeah, he gave you a home, and a job after you got kicked to the curb. That was nice of him, but why should you have to rely on the kindness of others for a measure of justice? How about Buckbeak, what kind of a deal did he get from that Fudge asshole? You want to live a lie all your life, or do you want to live honestly, openly? How about the rest of you? Do you want to keep sneaking around, terrified that some muggle might discover who and what you are?
"As for selfishness, let's talk about Pius Thicknesse's selfishness. He ordered me, and every other Mentor, to have our memories wiped, altered, and he stole, not just our partners, but our very LIVES! Let's talk about a Wizarding World that's so selfish that it would stand in the way of making an opening to another world, whose inhabitants want only to live with us in peace.
"That means no cultural exchange programs, no one will ever get to spend a semester attending school in the Digital World. Digimon won't have the opportunity of studying here in the Material World. No commercial exchanges and all the lost business opportunities. No vacations in the Digital World. And no technological spin-offs. If the Wizarding World wants to live in the fourteenth century, that's their business. When they stand in the way of progress, that's our business. Shall we discuss the selfishness of a Minisry that stood by, doing nothing - NOTHING - to save the life of a single muggle while Voldemort's Death Eaters preyed on innocent muggles..."
"They didn't!" Ron insisted. "There was an underground radio station, called Potter Watch, where they encouraged magicians to cast protective spells around muggle homes..."
"Admirable to be sure, and I hoped they were listening. That doesn't change the fact that that was an unofficial outlet..."
"The Ministry was in Voldemort's hands!"
"And what about before? Did they warn the government? Did they contact anyone in the military? How about MI-6, did they contact them? Did the Daily Prophet run articles asking that magi cast those protective spells? Did your other official media do that? When muggles were being murdered, where were your aurors? When Scotland Yard was confused over these cases, did they explain to them what was happening?"
Ron looked down: "No", was all he could say.
"Shall we discuss the selfishness of the Ministry that would separate forever two people who love each other very much. How about a Minister of Magic who would imprison an honest man for giving an honest opinion? For saying something he didn't like? Who questioned the status quo? You heard: Xenophilius Lovegood has been taken to Azkaban, The Quibbler shut down. You want to talk selfish, what other word best describes the Ministry of Magic?
"Let's talk about the selfishness of a Ministry that turns on its allies the instant they don't need them anymore.
"Selfish, Hagrid, you have no idea...
"For progress to occur, for the promise of that future spelled out in that episode of '02', for us to have our partners back, the Ministry must fall. And, yes, I admit it, I relish the thought of destroying Pius Thicknesse for what he did to us. Xenophilius said: 'Down with the law of secrecy'. He couldn't make that happen, but we can: we, the Mentors, and we, the remnants of Dumbledore's Army.
"Things are going to change around here. You are about to lose your slaves when you and the house elves fall under muggle law that guarantees equal treatment under the law. Hogwart's is going to have to pay for the services it currently steals from its staff of, what, a couple hundred house elves? You are about to lose your arrogance that tells you that you are so much better than those elves, the goblins you exploit, the mudbloods, the muggles..."
"Professor Dumbledore was trying to change that", Ginny protested.
"I have my doubts about that, Ginny. Be that as it may, Professor Dumbledore didn't live long enough to see very much progress on that front, now did he? You resist change, and you're not going to reform until you have no choice. Deep down, you know that's the truth".
The magi tried to think of some argument to counter what Jadin had said. None could. Yes, they were worried about the changes Jadin was proposing. It was fear of the unknown.
"He's making a lot of sense", Narcissa spoke up. "We Malfoy's aren't bad people. My husband, Lucius, is a good man, and I loved my sister very much, and I will miss her. However, Bellatrix was a fanatic, and it cost her her life. Isn't that enough? We made a mistake and allowed ourselves to be seduced by the Dark Arts. Even Albus Dumbledore flirted with the Dark Arts: his involvement with Grindlewald. The only one to show us any kindness at all was Jadin, the muggle. Every one we called 'friend' for 25 years turned their backs on us. Jadin promised to help Draco adjust to muggle school, and he kept his word. He didn't have to do that, it wasn't his responsibility, not his fight. But he came, he, his Mentor friends, and their digimon.
"I can't complain about what we brought on ourselves, but did Jadin deserve that? We don't have much, but we will do whatever we can to help him. He's right: the Wizarding World is too ossified, too backward, and it shouldn't be standing in the way of progress. Jadin has shown us that".
"I never thought I would ever hear myself say this", Neville said, "but I agree with Narcissa". That meant a lot, since it was Bellatrix Lestrange who had tortured both his parents into permanent insanity.
"But Jadin... the Ministry?", Ron protested. "Are you mental? You can't even do magic!"
"Actually, Ron, I can. I saw how you and everyone, but for Hermione, reacted when I turned on the telly. Haven't seen that before have you?"
"He's rye bouddat", Hagrid agreed. "Even the P'fessor couldna dun innythin laike thah. Amazin thah"
"You know about the version of the Marauder's Map I have on my digivice? Isn't that a kind of magic? What about Impmon? Couldn't he see past Fidelius Charms, identify cursed objects? The A Number One weakness of the Ministry is its aversion to muggle technology. It is that technology which I propose we use against them. Expose the Wizarding World, upload the evidence to the Internet..."
"The Inter... what?", George and Ginny asked simultaneously.
"The Internet: a network that connects tens of millions of computers together. Upload videos of the Wizarding World, and they're available within minutes to everyone, anywhere. They can't Obliviate millions of people, can they? Once that happens, it's all over: no more secrecy..."
"Yeh can do thah?", Hagrid asked.
"Absolutely", Jadin told him. "I use the Internet all the time".
To the magi, this did, indeed, sound like magic, very powerful magic indeed. They never learned anything at Hogwart's that remotely had the capabilities Jadin had just described.
"How?", George and Luna asked at once.
"Devil's in the details. We need funding for research. Digivices work flawlessly even around magical fields, so we'll need to know how. Once that's done, figure out what these charms are actually doing, and how to counter and neutralize them.
"Your magical abilities will prove very useful: Draco told me about something called a Disillusion Charm that conceals its user. We will need to know if anyone's spying by this means. If you have memory altering spells, then, perhaps, others that can control minds?"
"The Imperious Curse, but that's one of the Unforgivable Curses. There's also a milder version: the Confundus Charm", Luna explained.
"Might prove useful".
"What about communications? The fake Galleons?", George asked.
"We use computers. The aurors won't even bother monitoring on-line communications. How many of them even know about going on-line? Each one of you will need a laptop, and a PDA..."
"They won't work, aren't you forgetting..."
"Get away from the magical fields. Go into the Forbidden Forest, and I'm sure you'll be able to pick up a wireless connection. That's the nice thing about PDAs and smart phones these days: there's hardly anywhere on Earth that's not covered. I'm sure Hagrid can suggest possible places inside the Forest?"
"Aye", he agreed.
"I also have a list of supplies. Before you go, you will need lessons on how to purchase a computer without looking like a complete ass, and so you get the right thing. That's your next priority, and the Mentors will help with that. They will also teach you how to use these devices. Next, we'll need money..."
"You can have whatever is left in Bellatrix's vault", Narcissa volunteered.
"We... I... have been doing very well with Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes. You can have Fred's share..."
"Won't Fred object?", Jadin asked.
"Fred... died... that night...", his eyes growing misty, voice failing.
"I'm so sorry, I didn't realize..."
"I know you didn't".
"And my condolences for your loss".
"Thanks... I wish you could remember Fred... you liked him..."
"Just another thing they robbed me of", Jadin said, another score to settle with Thicknesse. "so it's decided: first order of business is to collect our finances, cash out what you can, convert to muggle currency, and open a bank account. I'll set up a spreadsheet program to keep track of expenses and accounting. That way, there will never be any suspicions that anyone is dipping into the account for the wrong reasons.
One more thing: Percy, do you think you can still get that Ministry post?"
"I could ask, but why?"
"Eyes and ears on the inside", Jadin said.