Disclaimer: Rights to Babylon 5 are owned by Warner Brothers Television, Babylonian Productions, Inc., the TNT network, and creator/writer/executive producer J. Michael Straczynski. I am making no money from the use of these characters and plotlines. Harry Potter belongs to J.K. Rowling, Bloomsbury, and Scholastic.

Author's Note: I'm really sorry this has taken so long. The holidays put me quite far behind, and it's getting difficult to find time to watch the DVDs or do the other research I try to do to get things right. Incidentally, I have no idea whether Atari was a big seller in Britain, but given Dudley's penchant for video games, it seems plausible that he might have had one in the eighties.

On the Eve of Destruction

Harry and the others met Garibaldi and a couple of technicians in a sort of loading dock, as planned. The technicians were the ones who would be loading station garbage into an airlock and subsequently jettisoning it into space for the wizards to practice their spells on. Obviously, things like Confundus weren't going to work on inanimate objects, but Ginny used a shrinking charm to good effect.

"If we make the Shadow ships that small, it'll be just like Space Invaders!" Harry remarked. When he got blank stares from his friends, even Hermione, he gave an embarrassed chuckle and shrugged. To his surprise, however, Garibaldi brightened.

"Space Invaders? Man, that's a classic! Did you play it?" he asked Harry curiously.

"Only when my cousin got tired of it. I'm surprised anyone from the future still remembers it, though."

"What can I say? I'm a little old-fashioned," Garibaldi replied with a far-off expression that might have been nostalgia. "I guess you might have noticed some of the decorations in my quarters?"

Harry nodded, having recognized the Looney Tunes memorabilia that had been scattered about. It had seemed strange to him at the time that a grown man could be a fan of cartoons created centuries before his birth. Still, Harry could not deny that this was the first real sign of a positive emotion that Garibaldi had yet shown, and Harry found himself fascinated by what had triggered it.

"Well, sometimes I think I was born in the wrong century," Garibaldi concluded. "You must have actually played it on an original Atari!"

"Well, yeah."

"What was it like?"

"Um, well, it was…fun, I guess." Harry smiled faintly, uncertain how to proceed. To avoid the discomfort, he turned his attention back to the casting of spells and sent a few out absently. They'd found that lightning could not travel through space, but sheer bursts of energy worked when properly aimed, and Hermione was experimenting with Transfiguration, though its use was limited due to the time and concentration it took.

To tell the truth, though, Harry was quite distracted, and not by his conversation with Mr. Garibaldi. The source of his distraction was the same as it had been for several days – that is, Ginny – but the framework seemed to have changed somehow. Something Captain Sheridan had said during the course of his proposal to Delenn had struck a chord in Harry: "We might not survive the next few weeks."

Although he had not put it into exactly those words, Harry felt much the same way about the war going on in his own time. He knew that he eventually had to face Voldemort and that he might not survive. He recognized that this knowledge was keeping him from even considering the possibility of pursuing Ginny. It had only been a few weeks (and less than that if you only counted the time he'd actually been conscious) since he'd found out she was available, but he hadn't really allowed himself to think about it much. It had been easy enough to find other things to think about, but Sheridan's turn of phrase had caused him to re-evaluate his situation. If Sheridan considered his relationship with Delenn important enough to take to the next level, despite an uncertain future, maybe it wouldn't be wrong for Harry to take a similar step.

He wished that he had someone to talk to about this. Ron was obviously out of the question, as was Ginny. Hermione might be a possibility, if he could somehow get her alone, but he would be putting her in a difficult position as it pertained to her friendship with Ginny. There was no one else here he knew well enough to confide this sort of thing.

"Too many variables," Hermione muttered, pulling Harry out of his reverie. "These aren't sentient beings, and the Shadow and Vorlon vessels are made of completely different material. We still have no idea whether this will work on the real thing."

"We've at least found out a lot of spells work through space," Ron pointed out. "That's something."

"But is it enough?" Any further conversation was cut off by the sound of Garibaldi's comlink.

"Go," he instructed the device.

"Michael, it's Sheridan. We're having a meeting of all the allies in the council chamber. The five of you need to get there as soon as possible."

"What's going on?"

"The Shadows have just upped the ante." With that, the captain signed off, leaving everyone staring at each other in shock. Garibaldi recovered first, dismissing the technicians and setting an almost impossible pace to the correct room.

Harry wasn't really sure he wanted to know what had spurred this new turn of events, and his fears were realized when they found a video recording playing to the crowd of aliens and a few humans. Harry and the others joined the group, watching something that looked like a swarm of gigantic insects wriggling over the surface of a planet. A voice spoke over the image, explaining that the swarm was actually a collection of bombs that burrowed deep into the planet and detonated, each with the force of a nuclear explosion.

There were noises of shock and horror all around, and Ron and Garibaldi swore. Harry's head was reeling, and he wished he could sit down, but there was no seat readily available. Surprisingly, it was Ginny who took his arm in an effort to steady him, but her touch helped more than any physical strength she could lend him. He looked over to see that Ron and Hermione were clinging to each other.

"How?" Harry managed to squeak out in little more than a whisper. "How are we supposed to stop something like that?" He tried to imagine his world if the Death Eaters had weapons of this magnitude, and his mind quailed in response. The Killing Curse was bad enough.

"We can't," replied Garibaldi flatly. "We can't stop weapons that powerful. All we can do is draw their attention before they attack." He began pacing and chomping at the bit as Sheridan continued to be absent from his own meeting.

Meanwhile, a report from other Rangers indicated that the next place the Vorlons would strike was a planet called Coriana VI. This didn't mean anything to Harry, but it was apparently a large enough population center that they had to act before it was hit. A number in the billions was tossed around.

Finally, Sheridan and Delenn arrived and began outlining their plan. Certain key people and aliens (Garibaldi included) took seats at a large, round table, but Harry and his friends withdrew to one side and tried to be inconspicuous. The crux of the strategy was more or less what Sheridan had explained to them earlier. However, there was another step. They had to come up with a way of making sure that the Vorlons and Shadows would be at the same place at the same time.

Everyone watched and listened in eerie silence as Captain Sheridan informed a Ranger captain of the suicide mission on which he was sending him and his crew. It was their job to protect the information about a "base" that was about to come online in a way that looked real but would still deliver it to the Shadows. Harry marveled at what it must take to make a decision like that. He looked at the faces of his friends, wondering if he would ever have to send them into that kind of situation. He knew without a doubt that they would do it if he asked, and the weight of that knowledge was oppressive.

When the grim orders had been given, the representatives of the various races took their seats again, maintaining the same silence. Only gradually did they begin the necessary discussion to complete arrangements and assignments. Eventually, the conversation was completed and the humans and aliens filtered away.

"Captain, I hope to God this plan of yours works," Garibaldi said fervently. Then he left to make his own preparations.

"I want you four with me," Sheridan said to Harry and the others, addressing them when they, Delenn, and Sheridan were the only ones remaining. "I have a feeling your unique skills may be useful."

"With all due respect, sir, I'm not sure what we can do against that," Hermione put in shakily.

"We'll find out when the time comes," the captain replied. "We all will."

"We'll do our best for you, sir," Harry promised on behalf of them all. Ginny gave him a squeeze on the arm before releasing it as though she'd forgotten she was still touching him.

"You heard Delenn mentioning the First Ones we're hoping to bring into this battle," Sheridan added. When they all nodded, he continued. "We don't know how much they'll be willing to help, and we can't honestly expect them to risk much for our fight. That's where you come in. I've also gathered all the telepaths of various races I could find on the station."

"So Lyta's not the only telepath here?" Ron asked curiously.

"She's the only human telepath, but the reason for that is a long story," Sheridan replied. "Eventually, we may need to explain to you about the Psi Corps, but I don't think this is the time."

"There are also Minbari and Centauri telepaths who are willing to help," Delenn added.

"But no Narns," Hermione commented, half to herself. Everyone looked at her, and her cheeks grew slightly pink under the scrutiny. "All of the Narn telepaths were wiped out, weren't they?"

"Yes, during the last Shadow War a thousand years ago," Sheridan acknowledged.

"How did you know that?" asked Harry, stunned.

"Last time, when Ron…was in Medlab, a Narn came and talked to me for a bit," Hermione explained. "Let's see…his name was G'Kar. I haven't seen him since we've been here, but I thought he would have wanted to be part of this. Where is he?" Delenn and Sheridan exchanged a meaningful glance.

"No one knows," said Delenn gently. "He left some time ago to look for Mr. Garibaldi. Marcus went with him, but they were separated, and only Marcus returned."

"But – but he said…if he left here…" Hermione trailed off, going very pale.

"Hermione, what is it?" Ginny asked with concern, touching her friend on the arm. Hermione only shook her head. Harry turned back to the captain, whose mouth was a thin line.

"He was a wanted Narn," Sheridan explained. "He had sanctuary here, but outside of the station, he could have been captured by the Centauri."

"He said they would probably kill him," Hermione whispered, finding her voice at last.

"Do you think that's what happened?" Ron demanded. The captain shrugged. He looked sympathetic, but Harry understood that he had larger problems right now. There was a lot that had to be done in the next three days.

"It's likely, but there are also a lot of other things that could have happened. It's a dangerous universe."

As Harry considered what they were about to face, that seemed like the understatement of the century. Maybe even any century.

It was done. Emperor Cartagia was dead, and Londo Mollari had been named Prime Minister on an interim basis. He was probably only a step or two from the throne himself now. His mouth twisted into a self-mocking smile.

After years of being a joke, after being assigned as the ambassador to Babylon 5 because no one at court considered it important enough to send anyone else, now his people were turning to him. In their time of crisis, the Centauri were looking to him to save them. At last, he had the respect and admiration he had always craved.

And it all tasted like dust. Londo poured himself a drink to try to get the phantom flavor out of his mouth. The gods surely had a well-developed sense of irony to give a man the thing he had always desired only when he wanted it no longer.

Furthermore, things had not gone according to plan. Through a series of accidents, Vir had been the one to strike the killing blow, and he was not dealing with it well. Even for someone as cynical and corrupted as Londo, the decision to take the life of another sentient being was not an easy one, especially your own sovereign. For someone as untainted as Vir had managed to remain over the years…well, it was understandably even more difficult. It had needed to be done, of course, but the loss of Vir's relative innocence was another thing to add to Londo's already lengthy list of regrets.

Forcing these thoughts out of his mind, Londo turned his attention to the problems at hand. He didn't really have any time or mental energy to spare and just had to hope that Vir wouldn't drink himself to death in the meanwhile. On the other hand, that demise was probably preferable to the one that awaited them if Londo failed in the next tasks he'd set for himself. He had a day, perhaps two, to rid himself of Morden and his hated "associates" and convince the Vorlons to leave them in peace. It was precious little time, but he had to succeed or his world would pay the price.

And it was for Londo's sins that his people would die. It was not just a matter of loyalty or patriotism for him, but also an issue of personal responsibility. His ambition had led him to deal with Morden, not asking too many questions about the people for whom he worked or how they accomplished the things he requested. Londo tried to convince himself that he would not have gotten involved with Morden if he'd known he was connected to the Shadows, but it made no difference now. The fact was that he'd allowed himself to be drawn in by the tantalizing question: What do you want?

Londo smiled again, but this time, it was genuine. He believed that Vir had given the best answer ever to that question, back when Londo had been trying to withdraw from his devil's bargain. Londo had sent Vir to meet with Morden in his stead, and the Shadow representative had made the mistake of asking Vir his signature question. Vir's reply had run something like this:

"I want to live just long enough to be there when they cut off your head and stick it on a pike as a warning to the next ten generations that some favors come with too high a price. I would look up into your lifeless eyes and wave, like this."

In many ways, Vir was a much stronger person than Londo, and though he had been taught from early childhood to disdain those who would not seize power or take advantage of others, Londo could not help but respect him. In any case, Vir's wish was a gift Londo was planning to give to his friend, and it would happen soon.

Londo stood and paced the room, looking out occasionally at the blank expanse of hyperspace that hastened his journey back home from Narn.

None of this would bring Adiera back, of course. Londo's lips curled, revealing his teeth in what might have been taken for a beastly snarl. Certainly, he had personal reasons for wishing Morden dead, as he was the one responsible for murdering the only woman Londo had ever truly loved. His new position had finally made him privy to the definitive intelligence about Morden's involvement in that. Londo supposed the act had been intended to keep him in line, dancing to the Shadows' tune. However, it had backfired drastically, as Morden was about to learn. Without Adiera, Londo had nothing left to lose and was therefore willing to risk anything.

Londo poured himself another drink and silently toasted his late love before draining the glass. To honor her memory, he would save their world. After that, he could happily die and join her in the Afterlife, if there was one. For perhaps the first time in his life, he actually hoped there were.

Unfortunately, Londo Mollari was forgetting one important thing that the Vorlons likely had not. He had already been tainted by the Shadows.

--

Author's Note: Wow, a record response of 6 reviews! Oddly, this chapter took more out of me than I expected. I do hope it was worth the wait. The next one will probably be action-packed and will likely take me quite a while to draft. I'll also try to find time to work G'Kar back in.

Review responses:

selenepotter: That's the plan! I have a lot of work to do to figure out exactly how that will happen, though.

Stephen DOG Milne: Yeah, I know. I may have to go back to the books to look up a few spells, and I'm sure I'll end up making a few up.

Ranger Aurora: I understand, and thanks for stopping by.

Prometheus-1984: Your name doesn't sound familiar. I'm glad that I'm drawing in a non-HP person. It's sometimes hard to balance my audience, since I'm not sure who knows what, and I often have to explain things that might seem tedious to fans of one canon or another.

SnakeEyes16: Right you are. And I am planning a nice Harry/Ginny scene in the next chapter.

Samael3: I'm sorry, but I can't remember who Ulkesh is. Can you refresh me?