Chapter Published: 08.02.2013
Disclaimer: Elements of this story are copyrighted by other parties. My wallet complains, but I own neither StarCraft nor the Harry Potter franchise.
If you thought I did, I'd love to know where you got that idea. Everything not owned by J. K. Rowling and Blizzard Entertainment (or whatever their name is right now) is owned by me.
Thanks to Janet for betaing this story.
XXXHPASXXX
Part 8:
Snow was swirling against the icy windows once more# when Harry awoke the next morning. It was only November, but with each day Christmas came closer. Overnight a snowstorm had painted the world peacefully white. Although Harry had always loved snow, it turned into a problem this morning.
{Overmind, Overmind,} the hivemind frantically yelled into Harry's mind as soon as he awoke. {The energy generation has been reduced drastically!}
{How? Why?} Harry replied, still tired and not up to the things.
{The snow has covered the creep, which severely impacted our energy gathering ability.}
{How much?} Harry asked confused as he didn't remember any lack of bio energy.
{The energy production has halved to 7,7 gseu/day}
Harry groaned, saying loudly: "So what the fuck is your problem?"
"Um mate?" Ron said, tapping on his friend's shoulder. "What's going on."
Harry quickly shook his head. "Um... nothing really. Sorry, I just got up on the wrong side."
"Okay," Ron said, raising his eyebrows. It was clear that the youngest Weasley didn't believe him.
"Later, okay?" Harry quickly replied, waving Ron away. "I have... something to do..."
Ron nodded and retreated from the dormitory. Turning around on the doorstep he shouted: "Harry, please hurry or we'll have breakfast without you."
Ignoring his best friend, Harry mentally snarled at the hivemind: {How is this a problem? I wasn't even close to using all that energy.}
{It stifles the expansion of the swarm}
Harry felt the need to groan again. What was he supposed to do? Tilt earth's axis, so that his creep would get more sun? Seriously though, it couldn't hurt to check his swarm.
/Swarm Information:
/Swarm Members: 26; Sapients: 2; buildings 1; morphs 20; larvae 9; other 3
/Swarm Psionic Energy: 150
/Swarm Bioenergy: 28 gseu
/Swarm Biomass: 34300 kg
/Morphs in progress: Overlord, Overlord, 18x drone.
/Units:
/Overmind: 1
/Hatchery: 1
/Overlord: 1
/Drone: 3
It really didn't seem like the bioenergy generation was a problem. It had actually grown since he checked last time. The problem was something else entirely, it was the fact that his biomass was somewhat limited. He'd managed to gather way more than that amount of biomass in half an hour, when he'd prepared the hatchery. There had to be a reason they'd only collected so little biomass.
{Hivemind, is there any reason why the drones stopped collecting biomass?} Harry inquired as he started to dress for the day.
{The hatchery can't store more than 34300 kg of biomass.}
Yes, that would explain it, Harry thought. The flesh pyramide was large, but it could store only so much matter. He should have suspected something like this.
{Can you increase the storage space?} Harry asked, hoping for a solution.
{The hatchery can't evolve until you've bred an evolution chamber.} The hivemind explained.
An evolution chamber. Every time he had a problem he got told it was the solution. There was no reason for him not to produce one. Still... he needed another clearing for the chamber. And considering the small amount of biomass stored the clearing most likely hadn't been done yet... Harry sighed again and concentrated on the map in the back of his mind. He was wrong. To his surprise he found two clearings, and a stockpile of wood in front of the hatchery.
{Adalbert!} Harry said, opening a thought connection to the most likely source of this surprising work effort. {Did you finish those clearings?}
{Yes, my Overmind, I thought it prudent to have the drones finish your priority tasks.} The overlord replied. Harry could feel that the large creature was worried about his reaction.
{Thank you, it was a great idea,} Harry praised his minion to alleviate its concerns. It was great that he didn't have to do everything on his own. {It's not like the biomass will be reduced in this weather.}
{It is my joy to serve,} Adalbert said, allowing Harry to feel his satisfaction.
Meanwhile Harry was exiting his dormitory and his two best friends were already waiting for him.
"Come on, mate, I'm hungry," Ron said, pulling Harry to the portrait tunnel.
Harry was a bit angry at himself as he went down to the Great Hall with his friends. He should have ordered the metamorphosis for the evolution chamber before he left dormitory. Talking with his friends and walking was too much for him at once, if he also wanted to fulfill his overmindly duties. The same was true when he had breakfast. He didn't want to space out there, it would be impolite to his friend and might make the teachers curious. Something Harry wanted to avoid at almost any price.
Only afterwards in Potions had Harry found the time to relax and focus on the swarm. Since he had managed to convince his bushy haired friend of the Half-Blood Prince's book, her brewing skills had improved even further. She'd taken the time to research why the Prince's recipes worked better and was correcting the textbook to Slughorn's delight. Harry was rather grateful that the potions master had found a new pet student, being uncomfortable with attention as he was.
Sure, Slughorn was still impressed by his brewing skills, but it was not the same as Hermione's pure academic power. If anyone was going to reinvent the philosophers stone, it was her. At least Slughorn seemed to think so. Not that Harry would have bet against her, challenging Hermione that way only made her want to prove you wrong. Nonetheless Harry was thankful for the distraction his female friend provided. With Ron also focussed on her, the time spent cutting potions ingredients was rather relaxing. Relaxing enough that Harry used the opportunity to commune with his swarm.
The mental map - or rather image nowadays - developed to be his main method to command the swarm. Harry selected one of his three drones with his mind and asked for it's building options. Suddenly the demanded information popped into his head.
/Drone metamorphosis:
/Hatchery: Founding structure for every Zerg colony. Breeds the swarm.
/Normal morph: 21 days; 30 tons biomass; 5 gseu bioenergy; 0 psi-energy.
/Speed morph: 7 days; 50 tons biomass; 10 gseu bioenergy; 20 psi-energy.
/Emergency morph: 1 day; 60 tons biomass; 20 gseu bioenergy; 300 psi-energy.
/Spawning Pool: accelerates transformation of new Zerg. required for Zerglings.
/Normal morph: 7 days; 20 tons biomass; 4 gseu bioenergy; 0 psi-energy.
/Speed morph: 2,5 days; 33 tons biomass; 8 gseu bioenergy; 20 psi-energy.
/Emergency morph: 15 hours; 40 tons biomass; 16 gseu bioenergy; 200 psi-energy.
/Evolution Chamber: Place used to recombine assimilated DNA.
/Normal morph: 4 days; 7,5 tons biomass; 2 gseu bioenergy; 0 psi-energy.
/Speed morph: 1,3 days; 14 tons biomass; 4 gseu bioenergy; 10 psi-energy.
/Emergency morph: 7 hours; 20 tons biomass; 8 gseu bioenergy; 75 psi-energy.
" , I know chopping can be relaxing, but it is dangerous to dream when you're working with knives," Professor Slughorn reminded the young overmind, ripping him back to reality.
"Sorry, Professor, I just... drifted off," Harry said his lame apology.
His potions teacher didn't seem to mind. "Yes, yes, we can't avoid a little thought drifting, can we?"
Harry nodded, yet the teacher had already gone somewhere else. Well, it certainly was better than Snape who had always hovered behind him, breathing down his neck as he was searching for reasons to take points from Gryffindor. Looking down at his hands, Harry saw he'd chopped more than he needed. After offering Ron his excess ingredients he began to brew. Sadly, the potion needed all his attention, so he couldn't really interact with the swarm. He really wasn't the best overmind.
On the other hand it gave him time to mull about what he wanted to do next. His hive-memory told Harry that the Zerglings were the basic soldiers of the swarm. He could certainly use them, especially if the acromantula got wind of his base. The problem was he needed the spawning pool to get them and the thing really took time to morph. Speeding up the process could help, but then he'd delay his evolutions chamber. No, he wouldn't, Harry suddenly realized. The mass was no problem, he still had the stockpiled wood in front of his hatchery.
Thinking about it, he might even want to try an Emergency Morph for the evolution chamber. Although... it seemed like a major waste of resources, so he probably shouldn't. 1,3 days was still fast enough. Especially now that his energy production had decreased. In the end two speed morphs seemed like the best option. He didn't want to wait forever, he wanted progress.
Right now Harry had to concentrate on the potion though. While he didn't really care for the teachers attention he didn't want to lose his reputation as a great brewer either. It certainly had its advantages. Not to speak of good grades... Thanks to the Half-Blood Prince's notes him and Hermione ended up with a potion of similar quality. Ron fucked up though, mistaking two ingredients on the last step.
The youngest Weasley boy was still trying to get peel the goo out of his ears when they left the classroom for their free studies session. Slughorn had chewed him out, but mostly for screwing up such a promising potion than making a mess. Harry wished they could have had Slughorn for the last years, then he might actually understand what he was doing. While Hermione was really helping with her explanations it wasn't the same as learning from a capable teacher.
"Hey Ron, let's go to the room of requirement. I need a place to talk uninterrupted," Harry suggested just after they'd separated from their bushy haired friend.
Ron nodded absently. "Um ok... wait, Room of Requirement? That means you can show me you-know-what..." he made an undeterminable gesture.
"Yeah, I guess... we can do homework afterwards," Harry said, walking towards the third floor corridor.
Suddenly, Ron pointed up a staircase. "Say Harry, did you too see Malfoy just run up there?"
"No," Harry shrugged. "I wonder why he's so rushed. Well, maybe we'll see where he went," Harry said as they took said staircase.
They didn't, but when they arrived at the room of requirement it turned out to be blocked. Someone else was obviously using it. The two Gryffindor boys had no choice but to return to their common room.
"Okay Harry, what did you want?" Ron asked, sitting down on a lone couch in a corner of the room. "Muffliato!"
Harry sighed. "I guess it has to be enough. Maybe I'm just paranoid... but is it paranoia if Voldemort is out to get you?"
"Not so funny, mate," Ron said. "Hominem Revelio." The Weasley boy looked around. "No, nobody here, so spill."
"It's just that the swarm finally begins to work," Harry stated. "I'm morphing a small army of drones and last night my first overlord scouted the Forbidden Forest."
"Well, that's great Harry," Ron said, obviously not all that thrilled about it. "Anyway, can we begin with our homework? I want to be ready for Hermione..."
'Wow, that's a first,' Harry thought by himself. "Alright, but I need to issue some orders for the swarm. So I guess I'll be out of it for a few minutes."
"Nodding as he stood up, Ron replied: "I'll gather the stuff, just hurry please."
Meanwhile Harry concentrated on the swarm again. He decided to morph each building into each clearing and mentally designated the planned areas on the map in his mind.
{Overmind,} Adalbert sent just after he'd done that. {The evolution chamber could profit from a direct connection to the spawning pool. The slime would accelerate the research in the evolution chamber.}
Quickly correcting his mistake, Harry thanked his overlord. The large being was an incredible help. Mentally picking two drones, the young overmind realized that he got faster in his direction of the swarm. He just ordered them to morph into his planned structures (well, the spawning pool first and after they'd gathered enough biomass also the evolution chamber) and sent them on their way. Maybe it also was Adalbert's help, but Harry wasn't going to complain. He was sick of wasting time instructing the hivemind step by step. Thinking minions were definitely a nice thing to have.
Harry also cued the production of a few new overlords and drones. Although he didn't know yet what to use the creatures for, he figured they could be used as warriors in the worst case. The overlords always had the problem that water for their production lacked, yet in this case the snow was an advantage. The creep slowly absorbed the white mass, generating more than enough water for the hatchery.
This day Harry was flooded with work again. Writing essays, researching stuff... He almost wished he could sit on a couch and let Ron crush him in chess. It was certainly better than the stress and boredom of the eternal homework. The fact that Ginny was snogging Dean just in his sight in a corner of the common room didn't make anything better. It only made him more frustrated.
XXXHPASXXX
Harry was groaning under his workload when the hivemind called him the next day, just as he wanted to go down for dinner.
{Overmind, the evolution chamber has been completed.}
'Great', Harry thought. But he didn't know what to do with it. Something he should have considered earlier. Maybe the swarm would know how. He just concentrated on the image of the evolution chamber. It was a tentacled thing that just seemed sleeping on the ground right next to an amorphous pulsating blob that was going to be his spawning pool. It worked, new information popped into Harry's mind.
/Evolution chamber.
/Improves and adapts Existing Zerg-strains.
/Hit Points 750
/Armor 1
/Energy consumption 500 mega seu/day.
/Stores and collects new DNA
/Creates new Zerg-strains.
/Controls assimilation process.
/Creates Prototypes
{So how does it create new Zergs?} Harry sent, curious if he could make his own.
{The evolution chamber develops a new growth program for either drones or larvae,} the hivemind began to explain. {It causes the larvae to develop under its supervision to test the processes and the results. The final product is the prototype. If the prototype proves useful or superior the evolution chamber transfers the genetic program to the hatchery which adds it to new larvae.}
This would allow him to adjust his Zerg for his own purposes later on, Harry realized. Right now he just wanted to increase the defense of his swarm though. And he knew, there was no better defense than not to be seen.
{Hivemind, please have the evolution chamber research adaption to blend our structures into the environment,} Harry ordered. {Once that is done have it find a way to increase our energy production.}
Of course Harry had tried to control it himself, wanting to learn controlling his swarm better, but the mind - if it be called that - of the evolution chamber was too alien to him. Maybe he could find out later how to operate it, although it seemed very complicated. More for someone research oriented like Hermione than him.
{Yes Overmind, your order will be transmitted. The hivemind will inform you once the process has been completed.}
Harry felt another pressure in the back of his head. He recognized it as Adalbert and opened a connection. {I and my brothers want to remind you that the evolutions chamber can assimilate genetic code into the swarm,} the intelligent Zerg said. {We suggest you order the drones to provide samples.}
It was a good idea, but he didn't have the time to micromanage something like this. {Very good,} Harry praised. {You and your brothers are in charge of this operation. Just be reminded to keep away from humans, centaurs and acromantula... for now. Um... and don't take other sentients.}
{We live to serve,} the overlord acknowledged. The way it really meant the statement, disturbed Harry more than just a bit. He couldn't mull over his feelings since he realized he wasn't alone in the room and wanted to meet his friends at dinner.
"... look, he's spaced out again. I really wonder what's up with Potter lately," Harry heard Lavender Brown say as he returned to reality."
"I think its cute," Romilda Vane remarked. Harry only remembered her from the train and not in a good way. Slandering his friends was no way to get into his good graces after all.
Harry only shook himself, ignoring the girls. Neither was his type... giggly girly girls, who had makeup for brains and no worries in the world. He couldn't have less in common with them. Hell, he had a dark Lord after his life and they thought it would be cool to be his girlfriend. There was something really wrong with those people.
XXXHPASXXX
Part 9:
{Overmind! The swarm is under attack!} The hivemind yelled, just as Harry was attempting, a complicated transformation in McGonagall's class. Instead of turning into a pelican as intended, the barrel in front of him transformed into a swirling, creeping mass of strange, ugly worms and bugs.
"Evanesco! Mr. Potter, what the hell were you doing?" the transformations professor shouted.
"My scar, Professor," Harry replied, thinking on his feet. "It burns." He groaned.
It hadn't really done so for a month, which made him wonder if Voldemort had done something about it. It might also be thanks to his familiar bond with the swarm. Harry was glad the pain was gone, but right now it offered a convenient excuse.
"Alright, go and see Poppy," the stern teacher ordered. "Come back as soon as you're ready."
Harry nodded. "Yes, thank you professor."
He quickly left the room, concentrating on his swarm as soon as the door had fallen shut behind him. There was a red dot as well as an orange area on his mental map, a bunch of drones was rushing there and he could feel the worry of his overlords.
Focussing on Adalbert, Harry asked: {What is going on?}
{An acromantula attacked one of the drones,} the overlord replied. {We can't supervise the forest during the day, so it got through undetected. The acromantula is still fighting our drone.}
{Damn,} Harry cussed, angry that he didn't order his swarm to stay at home in the day. {Take it down. We can't let the colony know of our presence.}
Harry followed the events from the map in his mind. It didn't work as well as usual, since the overlords were still forced to stay on the ground, but he couldn't order it yet. It was bright daylight and everyone looking from the castle or maybe even Hogsmeade could have seen them. No, there was no choice but sending in his drones blind. Well, not really blind. He still had the information from the creep and his fighting drone.
Meanwhile his drone wasn't faring well at all. Its wings had been shredded - the right one was missing almost completely - and it couldn't keep itself in the air anymore. The pincers were crippled and had lost their movement capability. It wasn't dead so far, but it was clear it wouldn't survive another attack. The drone was really only waiting to die.
Harry couldn't let that happen. His drones were only meters away and they were sprinting towards the fighting ground. Looking through the eyes of his wounded drone, Harry could see the acromantula as it jumped forwards, trying to crush him between its pincers. Harry was just waiting to have his… the head of his drone crushed, but then another drone slammed into the acromantula, preventing the end of his crippled drone.
Other drones appeared from the forest, launching themselves on the acromantula. Regrettably, the monster wasn't stupid. Realizing the danger, it grabbed the torn off wing with its forelegs and jumped into the trees, out of the range of his drones. Harry was amazed by its abilities. His drones were fierce fighters by themselves, but it had managed to take one by surprise, cripple it and then managed to get away even when he had it surrounded. Harry wanted it for his swarm.
He'd just ordered his units to follow, when the giant spider shot a string at one of his drones and fastened it to a tree. Merlin this is amazing, Harry thought to himself. He really wanted one of those, the beasts were useful.
{Shit!} Harry cussed, realizing the acromantula actually managed to get away for real. It was fast in the trees, and it wasn't like his drones could really fly. They were following the monster on the ground, but were incapable to confront it again. Harry was forced to stop the pursuit, he didn't want to lead his drones into a trap.
It would have been nice if they could have flown... But they couldn't. Their ability wasn't real antigravity, no they somehow repelled the ground. Which was the problem in this case since that force got smaller the greater the difference between themselves and the ground became.
{Overlords, prepare the swarm to defend from an attack. Retreat to the base and fell the trees around the barrier,} Harry commanded, wiping sweat from his forehead, while he marked the area on his mental map.. {I don't want acromantula attacking from above.}
{Yes, Overmind. Your order is our desire,} Adalbert replied. He'd become the spokesperson of the overlords, but then Harry hadn't exactly talked to the others. He probably should remedy that mistake later on.
Harry felt his preparations weren't enough. There had to be more he could do. Ignoring his overlords for now, Harry contacted the hivemind as he slowly walked to the infirmary. {Speed morph the remaining Larvae into drones. I want the creep to cover the trees at the border of the space that the Larvae will clear. Don't kill the trees in the process please.}
After he'd finished his order, he hurried to the hospital wing. It was a real shame this didn't happen during a break, he could have really used Ron's help. The guy was a genius in strategy after all. What did Ron say? Divide and conquer… If his drones managed to get an acromantula alone he was sure they'd win. But alone there was no way they could win.
{Overlords,} Harry sent, targeting them all at once. {Make sure your drones patrol in pairs, or better, in groups of three or four. Don't let the acromantula divide you. We need to survive until the spawning pool is ready.}
The large beasts affirmed his orders and Harry felt that each of them had a different mental voice. Maybe all of them together would find flaws in his plan and improve on it. Adalbert was certainly smart enough. The problem was they didn't really have much experience. Only the stuff they'd learned in the short time they'd been alive and Harry's own memories. That meant they operated on the same basis of knowledge as him. Well, Harry sighed to himself. That should improve in the future.
In the worst case he could just order his overlords to pick up drones and fly somewhere else, but that was an option he really didn't want to use. Not only would he be in trouble with the wizards, but the Muggles could very well detect his swarm as soon as they left Hogwarts wards. No, they'd just need to defeat the acromantula. He knew it was inevitable, yet he'd hoped to have more time to prepare.
No point to cry about spilled milk, Harry thought as he entered Madam Pomfrey's lair.
"Hello, hello," Harry said loudly as he didn't see the strict nurse.
"No need to yell, Mr. Potter," the nurse said as she came from one of the rooms to the side. "I was just attending a fellow student of yours. Miss Lovegood, I think you know her."
"Yes, Luna is my friend," Harry quickly replied. "What happened to her?"
"Shouldn't you be worried about yourself?" Madam Pomfrey inquired, rolling her eyes. "You don't visit here, just because you like me so much."
"Well, I don't dislike you," Harry defended himself. Seriously, who liked to be in the hospital? "So what happened with Luna?"
The nurse shook her head, grinning at the famous boy's antics. "No, you tell me what's wrong with you and then I might tell you about Miss Lovegood."
A sigh escaped Harry. "I... I had another vision, ok? And my scar hurt, but it's alright now," he said only slightly lying.
"Did the Luglumps get you Harry?" he heard his blonde friend saying. "I think I see some nesting in your hair." Luglumps didn't exist, but that wouldn't deter Luna, Harry knew.
"Miss Lovegood, you should be in the bed!" the school nurse admonished. "You're hurt, it's not good if you're walking around and I need to look after Mr. Potter."
Turning around to his eccentric friend, Harry was shocked. She had bruises all over her body and carrots were growing out of her ears - How she was capable to hear was beyond him.
"Luna, what happened to you?" the last Potter asked, really worried about his friend. "Who did this to you?"
"The nargles didn't like me," Luna said as she scuffled back into her room.
"It was her house 'mates'again," Madam Pomfrey said, venom was dripping from her voice. "I told Flitwick that he can't let human children act this way around each other, but no, he thinks it strengthens the character. Bloody goblins!" Taking a short breath she continued her tirade. "I knew this would happen sooner or later. Letting them steal her things could only lead to something like this. Kicking her down the stairs... if she wasn't magical that would be a murder attempt!"
Harry was horrified. He'd suspected bad things happened to Luna, her insane sounding ramblings indicated stuff like that. He'd never suspected something like this though. Merlin, he considered Luna his friend and yet he had no idea something like this was going on. What kind of friend was he?
Throwing Harry a meaningful glance, the school nurse continued: "Sorry Luna, I guess I should have talked about it."
"It's not your fault that you're tormented by Ragrumps," the bruised Ravenclaw replied, waving Madam Pomfrey's concerns aside.
Meanwhile, Harry was still stunned from the revelations. Pomfrey was right, he couldn't let this continue. Luna needed help and friends she could rely on. Ravenclaw obviously wasn't just the house of the smart, but also the house of the assholes. Even the Slytherins didn't do something like this. Merlin, they made a point out of showing a united front. They might bully others, but at least they didn't tolerate it among themselves. Snape would never allow it, not under his nose, not after his own experiences. Harry hated the teacher, but he knew that the man would never allow something like this.
"Oh… sorry Mr. Potter, I almost forgot you," Madam Pomfrey said as she turned her attention towards the young Gryffindor again. "Your scar hurt and you said something about a vision… Was there something specific?"
Rubbing his scar – he hated lying to the school nurse – Harry explained. "I think they were talking about attacking someone. I guess Voldemort has found a way to sort of keep me out of his mind, since I couldn't really understand what they were talking about."
"Well… I can't say I'm very happy that they're plotting to kill someone again, but it's not like we can do anything about it," Madam Pomfrey sighed and shrugged. "At least this means less nightmares for you."
Harry only nodded, not sure what to say.
"You don't have any headaches, no pain in your scar anymore?" the nurse inquired.
"I have a slight headache," Harry admitted, not that he would have come to the hospital for such a thing otherwise. It didn't come from Voldemort, no it came from the massive interaction with his swarm. He really doubted a human brain was meant to be used as an Overmind. Right now it was a convenient excuse though.
"Right," Madam Pomfrey said, raising her eyebrows. "Just a 'slight' one? Your visits here tend to be for worse reasons."
"Yes, only slight," Harry sighed. "I'm glad it's not hurting worse. Anyway, I'm glad I came here or I'd never known about Luna."
"Okay, Mr. Potter. Just take this," Pomfrey said as she took a potion from a shelf. "It should help. I don't want to give you something harder in case that your headache really is just slight."
Harry slowly nodded. Snape had delighted to warn them of the consequences of faulty potion usage. He shuddered remembering the very graphic pictures.
"Good, take it and wait until it works," the school nurse said and threw another meaningful glance in Luna's direction. "You can go back to class afterwards."
"Thank you, Madam Pomfrey," Harry replied, after drinking his headache potion. "Come on, Luna, let's go back to your bed."
Supporting his friend, Harry led her towards the hospital bed Madam Pomfrey had designated for her.
"Luna," Harry said sighing, after he'd helped her back on the bed. "Why did you let them do this? You fought Death eaters… Why?"
A sob escaped the usually bright Ravenclaw. "I can't… I don't know what I'll do once I'll start fighting the Nargles. Avada Kedavra isn't exactly a hard spell to cast."
Harry just fell down on the bed behind him. "You aren't serious, are you?" Then he saw her look. "Merlin, you are."
"I hate them!" Luna sobbed. Harry was holding her hand. "They just won't let me alone. I don't expect friends anymore, but why can't they just leave me alone?"
Harry shook his head. "I don't know," he mumbled, more to himself than to Luna. "Maybe because they're nasty assholes? Um… Luna, why didn't you say anything?"
"I did," Luna said, angrily wiping the tears from her eyes. "But nobody listened."
Harry sighed. Yes, she did. Somehow, but not in a way he could understand. "Luna, nobody knew what you meant with Nargles. We all thought they were just another form of Wrackspurts. But no more… um why didn't you join us at the Gryffindor table?"
Harry had just meant the question rhetorically, but Luna took it serious. "I didn't think you'd want me. Hermione and Ron think I am crazy..." And you didn't think much different, Harry concluded Luna's sentence in his head.
"I'm sorry; I guess I should have known…" Harry said, feeling ashamed for his actions or rather inactions.
"I guess you couldn't. I hid this from you, I didn't directly tell you… I didn't think you'd care," Luna said, sobbing again. "Nobody did"
It was really disturbing to Harry to see his friend like his. Maybe they weren't as close as he was with Ron and Hermione, but that didn't mean he didn't care for her. There had to be something he could do.
"Um… can you tell me the names of the people who did this? I'm sure we can do something against them."
"And then they'll take it out on me. Everyone knows we're friends," Luna replied sadly.
"Flitwick doesn't do anything… Do you think Imperio works on Half-Goblins?" Harry laughed awkwardly. "Maybe we should talk to Dumbledore."
"No," the bruised Ravenclaw replied. "Dumbledore feels it's the house teacher's choice how to deal with problems within their houses."
"I'm sorry," Harry said, although he'd already decided to ignore her wish and talk with Dumbledore during their next lesson. "Please join us for the meals. You don't need to stay with these assholes… monsters."
Luna slowly nodded, smiling brightly at him. "Thank you, Harry, but I think you need to go back to your class. I don't think Wrackspurts count as an excuse."
XXXHPASXXX
That evening Luna had joined the golden trio at dinner. After Harry had told his friends what he'd heard at the hospital wing, they were as convinced to help Luna as he. It took some serious convincing to stop Hermione from going to the Ravenclaw tower and hex everyone who came through the entrance. Flitwick had most likely gone from the second most respected teacher in her opinion to the second worst. Just barely above Umbridge. Lockhart had at least looked well.
Sure, Luna was a bit nuts, but it was a good nuts, as Ron put it. They'd plotted to find a way to protect their mutual friend. They couldn't really do anything yet as they didn't know the perpetrators, but they certainly wouldn't leave Luna at their mercy. The two boys distracted the Ravenclaw girl and Hermione used the opportunity to silently cast a few tracking charms at her. They'd go off once the girl felt distress. Together with the Marauders map it would have to be enough for now. Once they had the names of Luna's bullies that would change of course.
Hermione and Ron were prefects after all, which gave them power in the school. Giving detentions with Snape to some bullies... well, Harry was sure that Snape would have fun with them. Like having them clean Neville's cauldrons by hand.
Dinner was actually fun. Luna's stories were entertaining, once one got used to the eccentric names of her creatures. Humpering Blumpertingers, Snorkacks, Grumpling Welfings and of course the Wrackspurt plague infecting the ministry. When Neville joined them, things got more serious as they began talking about politics. Ron wasn't all that interested, but Hermione hung at their lips, asking good questions about the system.
The rest of the evening the group spent in the schools common room, doing their homework and helping each other. To Hermione's surprise Luna could actually help her with runes. She'd learned them from her father since she was a small child. Harry couldn't believe he'd never used that room before. The extreme isolationism between the houses couldn't have been intended by the founders after all. This was supposed to be a school and not a training camp for gang wars, or so he thought.
While he was glad that he could help his friend, Harry's worries grew with each hour. He'd expected an acromantula attack, but nothing really happened. It was suspiciously silent. Finally, he couldn't take it anymore, he needed Ron's advice. After casting a Muffliatospell around their gathering Harry felt ready to burst.
"Ron," Harry began. "I need help with the swarm."
Ron didn't look too happy, he didn't want to go outside in this weather. "Yes… what's up?"
"My drones ran into an acromantula and it got away," Harry admitted.
"And why exactly is that a problem?" Hermione asked curiously, while Ron began to shudder.
"You weren't in their colony," Harry said, looking worriedly at his still shaking friend.
"They're monsters, hungry, always wanting to eat," Ron began his eyes wide with terror as he remembered their encounter in the second year. "And they're smart…"
Now Neville raised his voice: "And you think they're going to attack your colony en masse?"
"It's called hive, but yes, I think they're going to attack," Harry replied, looking pleadingly at Ron. "I need an idea how to deal with them. How to employ my drones. It won't be a problem if they take time until tomorrow, but I don't think I'll be that lucky."
"You need to attack them somewhere without trees," Ron stated, repeating his first thought. "I'm not sure how good they are hunting in packs, but I think your drones have the advantage there. Try to surround them, isolate groups of them and then strike. It would be best if you could somehow hide them, to take the spiders by surprise. They won't be able to organize then."
"Hiding…" Harry thought loudly. "I think maybe they could burrow under the snow."
{Hivemind, stop the creep from dissolving the snow,} Harry ordered his mental companion, as soon as he'd thought about it.
"Won't they get cold?" Hermione inquired obviously worried, while Luna was just listening interested.
"No, they can live in space…" Harry said, surprising himself. "Don't ask me how I know this, because I don't know myself."
Ron only nodded. "Well, I suggest you burrow the majority in the most likely invasion vector, while keeping a few on the backside as backup."
{Adalbert, please make sure to hide the drones in the snow in this pattern,} Harry said, marking another area on his mental map.
After receiving an affirmative from the overlord, Harry thanked his friends, returning to the previous topic; Luna's problem with a particular potion.
XXXHPASXXX
Authors Note: This should be pretty much the last time that I used these /description blocks. People complained and I can understand why they can get rather annoying. The problem was that I'd already written all of this when I started publishing and I really didn't feel like thinking of another solution and rewriting big parts of the story.
People suggested in reviews that I should have Harry use the swarm to improve his learning capability. I won't, at least not yet. My problem is that I imagine that Harry's connection to the swarm works very similar to Leglimency. The human mind is simply not made to absorb and save memories from another source. It isn't made to "google" memories/knowledge in a hivemind either. The result is that Harry will have flashes of insight from the swarm, but it won't turn him into somekind of genius. At least not before he's zergified, but that will have problems of its own.
I guess some of you have wondered about the snow thing and I've figured the swarm would generate most of its "energy" from either burning "minerals" in StarCraft or from absorbing light-energy. In this case Harry is focused on the photosynthesis or zergphotoabsorbation. I considered "burning" bio-mass for energy production, but that would be very inefficient, I think. He might try something like that later though. Right now he doesn't really have a shortage for energy anyway, it's something that threatens the long-term plans of the swarm though.
I figure some people might criticize me for Luna's bullying problems, considering that she seemed to get along with her Ravenclaw peers in the DA. You mustn't forget she was sort of a good friend of Harry's there, but he has pretty much abandoned her in book six. I don't know if she appeared after the scene in the train when they travelled to Hogwarts. Their former victim was suddenly weak again so the bullies turned against her again. If even her friends won't support her that means she's free game. Or so they think.
Anyway, I hope you liked these two chapters. Next chapter will have the big fight… and Harry has no Zerglings yet ];-
Thank you for reading my story.
