Chapter 14: Zion

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Captain Thicknesse cursed as the gunfire erupted on the crowded New Dehli streets. The hovership captain weaved through the crowd with a speed and grace only seen in the movies. Unfortunately, the Agents behind him could move just as nimbly.

"Xeno!" he called into his cell phone. With the area being monitored the Machines would be able to trace the call, but in a situation like this there was no choice.

"Operator," came the man's voice on the other line.

"We're cut off. We need another Exit. Fast!"

"Already on it," the eccentric, but unmistakably brilliant operator called back. "Intersection of Guru Gobind Singh and Bansi Lal Verma."

Thicknesse watched as Parvati ducked out of the way, just as a spray of bullets clipped the concrete just above her head. He began to lead his team away from the gunfire when he spotted another Agent up ahead taking aim for Ludo. "Right!" the captain called out, and his crew all instantly obeyed. The Agent's shot narrowly missed his best gunner by scant inches.

Losing the Agents was no easy task. The crowded New Dehli streets were a double edged sword. On the one hand, the Agents were restricted from using their inhuman speed and strength or altering the playing field in any obvious way. Doing so would almost certainly lead to many more Awakenings, as would a large scale attempt at a clean up. As long as the Programs had to maintain the illusion of reality for these trapped minds, they could not afford to make a spectacle, giving the hackers an advantage. On the other hand, though, every person connected to the Matrix was a pair of eyes for the Agents, as well as another entry point into the virtual world. So long as there were people to see them, there would be no escape.

Thicknesse took his team down several small side roads, making a rapid series of turns. The Machines knew their world, it was true, but there were too many potential Exits and they did not know which one was their goal. Once out of sight of the trapped minds in the Matrix it would be harder for the Agents to track them. The Programs had many built in monitoring programs, but Zion had been hacking around such obstacles since before living memory. Without the perception of actual participants in the simulation, they were all but invisible to the Machines.

The team took to the rooftops by scrambling up the sides of the buildings like kung fu spider. Thicknesse held his hand out for his youngest recruit, Parvati, who had been rescued along with her twin sister years ago. Twins were not such a rare thing among the cloned fields of humans, but rescuing a pair at the same time was rather special. She grasped his hand as she came over the edge and they were off again. It seemed as if they had managed to lose their pursuit.

CRACK!

Or not. Captain Thicknesse looked up at the black robed figure that had appeared on the rooftop in front of them. He had never seen anything like it before. It didn't look like any of the other Agents.

"Xeno? What the hell is that?"

"I don't know," the operator yelled frantically. "Maybe it's one of those Mutant Agents I've been telling you about. It doesn't read like anything I've ever seen. But, whatever it is, it's bad, bad news!"

"Immobulus," the cloaked figure said, waving some kind of stick. Ludo froze in place, a look of fear on his eyes. The captain watched in shock as a jet of red flashed out, faster than a bullet, and the girl next to him crumbled to the rooftop, unmoving.

Captain Thicknesse was not one of the top virtual combatants in the military, not even in the top 10 percent. Despite improvements in hand to hand combat training and much greater success in defeating Agents, his odds of successfully defeating an Agent in combat was rated as less then two tenths of a percent. But at the moment, he didn't care. This Agent, or whatever it was, was picking his team apart. He wasn't about to let that happen.

"Florean," he yelled to his second in command. "You get everyone out of here, whatever it takes. Run. And when you get out, cut my connection and get the Pius back to Zion. That's an order!"

And with that, Thicknesse charged the robed man, dodging colored streaks of light left and right. He let the rage inside him build up, knowing, absolutely knowing, that in this moment he was faster and stronger than any human limits. And so, he was. He surprised the Agent, mutant Agent, crazy boogeyman, or whatever the hell that was with blur of speed only Programs and Potentials were capable of, landing a kick to its midsection that sent it crashing down to the roof with a satisfying crash.

The captain spared a moment to see his crew beginning to follow his orders. Then he turned back to his opponent. He didn't need to win. He just had to delay them long enough for them to get out. That would be enough. If he was disconnected he might die, and he would probably end up in a coma, but his crew would be safe. Thicknesse charged again as the robed figure began to pick itself up.

He almost got there in time.

"Imperio!" he heard. And then he was just so, so happy.

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Harry stepped off the Lupin and into the Dock, his bright green eyes taking in his surroundings. The first thing he noticed was how much larger Zion was than New Salem. Where the entrance to New Salem's was intentionally narrow, only allowing space for two hovercraft to enter or exit at a time through a single access point, Zion's Dock had multiple gates, each with their own landing platforms. Massive mecha suits called APUs stood by each of the entryways standing as sentinels against potential attack.

Their presence, Harry knew, was mostly for reassurance for the citizens of Zion, an overt sign that the city did have a defense against the Machines if hostilities were to suddenly renew. In truth, these weapons would do little more than prove a minor delay in the destruction of the people if the Truce between the Humans and the Machines were broken. The fact of the matter was that if war resumed, there was no hope for a human victory. In that frightening event, the only chance of survival would lie in escape, evasion, and concealment.

Harry had heard about early attempts to change the status quo in favor of humanity. Secret weapons development had been carried out in the first human bases outside of Zion: Fortress 99 and Anvil Base. Those two military posts and the city that had supplied them, New London, had been razed to the ground in a sudden and brutal attack that had left the inhabitants of Zion trembling. Fortunately, Zion was left unharmed. The message from the Machines was clear: they would not tolerate a military buildup.

It had taken a severe overcrowding problem in Zion to convince the Council to finally allow settlements outside of Zion once more. The colonies of Delphi, New Sanctuary, and New Salem had each only been created after a consultation with the Oracle within the Matrix, to make certain this would not provoke another attack. Apparently, she had found it amusing that one of the proposed colonies would be named Delphi. More importantly, she had inferred that while cities outside of Zion would not be under the strict protection of the Truce, other human settlements would not likely be bothered if they did not become a threat, just as Zion had been allowed to operate for decades until it had grown too large for comfort.

And so it was that shipments of ore and petroleum were shipped into Zion from Delphi while surpluses of food arrived from New Sanctuary through a continuous stream of cargo ships. Harry watched the gleaming ships land and begin unloading with a smile on his face. This was real life. This was progress. It was the human spirit in action. It was extraordinary how humanity could adapt to disaster and manage to survive. Despite the untenable position in which the Machines had put humans, people were adapting and changing to try to thrive once more.

As Harry stepped off the platform with the rest of the crew where the Lupin was docked and started to make his way into the tunnels leading into the city proper, a sudden thought occurred to him. "You know, Sirius, I just realized that the Machines are making a big mistake with the Matrix."

Sirius looked back at the youngest member of his crew with a raised eyebrow. "You mean because they didn't just 'put a bullet to our heads' as soon as we were defeated? Like villains in those old videos?" That thought had crossed his mind more than once. As it stood, humans were still at the mercy of the Machines, but were the mechanical AIs making a massive mistake by allowing humanity to hang on, cling to life as they were like a villain going off on a monologue or leaving the hero in some elaborate death trap? He always hoped that would be the case.

"Well, yeah, there's that," Harry said with a thoughtful expression. "But I was thinking more of the virtual world they built to enslave us. I think they made a big mistake when they showed us how great we can make things. I mean, they showed us that we can create massive buildings, cars, guns, and even space travel. In the Matrix they show us videos of ancient history like the Egyptian pyramids and building the Great Wall of China. Why show us things like that? When I think about just what we can accomplish, it makes me think we can do anything. Even one day completely beat those Machines and make a world where people don't have to hide in caves anymore."

Sirius let out a whistle. "Well, that was deep, kiddo. Where did that come from?"

Harry shrugged his shoulders. "Just looking around here, at what we're doing in the real world. In Zion and New Salem. Do you think we could have built Zion like this if the Machines hadn't given us all a knowledge of science, math, and engineering while in the Matrix?"

In answer, Sirius just shook his head unknowingly. Harry had a good point.

"I think if they were really smart they would have everyone in the Matrix thinking they lived in primitive tribes digging in the dirt and hunting with bows and arrows. And if any of us started to get too smart, they should send in a dinosaur or something into the village to eat them." Harry remarked as they continued on towards where they would be debriefed.

"Blimey, Harry," Tonks said looking at Harry with a wary expression, "I'm sure glad you're not one of the Machines."

"Oh, I wouldn't worry there, Tonks," Sirius responded with a grin on his face. "I'm certain that you would be quite safe from the dinosaurs if Harry were in charge of the Matrix." After a second or two he added, "I mean, after all, he did say he'd only send the dinos after the ones who were smart."

Harry groaned as Tonks tackled the ship captain and the two engaged in a short, good-natured tussle. As usual, the captain was getting the worst of it.

"Are they always like this when they get to Zion, Remus?" Harry asked, already knowing the answer.

"Not just in Zion," the first officer quipped back. "But only when they're awake."

"Ahem." A loud voice broke in from just in front of them. A square-jawed woman stood in the doorway looking at them with a no-nonsense expression. She had brown hair just beginning to grey and wore a neat military uniform. The insignia on the sleeve revealed her rank as a commander, second highest rank in the military.

Tonks and Sirius looked up from where they were sprawled on the floor. The two then slowly got up, with sheepish looks on their faces. After getting to his feet and straightening his clothes, Sirius approached the uniformed figure standing before him. "Commander Bones," the captain said deferentially, but with a charming twinkle in his eyes.

"Captain Sirius," the woman returned with touch of frostiness. "The Council would like to speak with you during its afternoon session. I am here to make sure that you are at that appointment."

"You're looking lovely as usual, Commander," Sirius said with a grin and a bow. "Of course, you never need an excuse to be able to follow me back to my quarters. I'm sure you wouldn't want me to come before the Council all sweaty and smelly from days of travel…or maybe you do like me all sweaty?"

The woman's expression lost none of its coldness. "You will return to crew quarters and get dressed, but then you will go straight to the Council chambers. This is a serious matter…" As soon as she said the word, Bones caught herself, biting off a curse mid-sentence. "Don't say it," she demanded with a point of her finger directed at Sirius and a sour scowl on her face, obviously put there to prevent any amusement from showing. There was no resisting a classic like that.

Sirius grinned, but made no other reaction to the commander's slip regarding his name. "And how is your daughter doing?" Sirius asked conversationally as they all walked as a group back towards the crew's quarters.

"Susan is just fine, thank you, Captain Black. Now, please get yourself prepared to meet with the Council."

Harry surreptitiously fell further behind Commander Bones and Sirius and whispered in Tonks's ear as he continued to listen to Sirius continue his playful conversation and she continue to give him the cold shoulder. "Hey, what is up with Sirius and Commander Bones? Why is he intentionally aggravating her like that?"

Tonks snickered, albeit quietly, and whispered back. "That's him being charming and flirtatious."

Harry gawked, thinking Sirius had to be off his rocker to be teasing a commanding officer like that so brazenly. Especially with the chilly vibes she was sending back.

"Yeah, believe it or not, Bones and Sirius used to date a while back, before he ever made captain."

"Sirius screwed it up?"

"Of course. But there's obviously some feeling left there. The Captain milks it for all its worth every time we're in port here."

"Wow."

After a short while, the group arrived at the living area reserved for visiting ships staying short term in Zion. The living quarters were simple, but would allow the crew to change into clean clothes and have a restful place to sleep until they left for another mission or back to New Salem.

Sirius gave Commander Bones a cheeky smile, "Care to come in and make sure I don't sneak out the back window?" All he got was a glare in return.

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Hermione Jean Granger awoke from sleep with a smile on her face. Every morning was the same. She would open her eyes, look around, and remember that she was at Hogwarts. She would remember that she could do magic. And that always made her smile. To think that she had once believed herself to be just an ordinary Muggle with a love of books! Just remembering that she was a witch with a wand was enough to ensure she was smiling when she got up out of the large four-poster bed that every witch or wizard attending Hogwarts got to sleep in.

Today however, as it had for the past many months, as soon as she fully woke her smile drained away to be replaced by a melancholy that did not suit her young face. Gone was the cheerful exuberance that she had exhibited ever since gaining her two dearest friends back in her first year. Instead of hurrying to get ready for the day, she took her time pulling on her school robes after showering and quietly descended the girls' side of the dormitory, ignoring the lighthearted chatter of the other Gryffindor witches. She didn't feel at all like chatting with any of them. As she looked around the Common Room, some part of her still hoped against hope that he would be there.

But, of course, he wasn't there. He would never be there again. Harry Potter was dead. Sirius Black had killed him. That thought wrenched whatever happiness she could feel away from her every time it occurred to her.

She had heard of troubles with dark wizards before, but until that day when Harry had been taken from her it had never really registered with her how dangerous things could be. The loss of John Anderson had been the first time Black's rampage had affected her personally, though she only knew the Hufflepuff peripherally. Harry had taken it much harder than her, though. That, everyone said, must have been why the mass murderer targeted Harry as well. The killer didn't want anyone growing up to be strong enough to take revenge on him. He killed Harry to prevent him from getting older and coming after him. That's what all the gossip said.

"Hey, Hermione," came the cheerful voice of her only other real friend. "Going to the Hall to get breakfast?" Ron Weasley was a comfort to her, despite his rather poor manners and uncouth behavior. He was all she had left now, at least within the magical world.

"Hey, Ron," Hermione answered, giving the red-head a small smile. "I'll be down in a few minutes."

She and Ron got on well enough, but it wasn't the same as when Harry had been there. Ever since fate had thrown them together first year the three of them had been inseparable. Teachers and even some of the older students had even referred to them as the "Golden Trio" when discussing their futures. Now, though, that was over. One corner of their little triad was gone.

With a sigh, Hermione pushed those thoughts out of her head and gathered her books together. She didn't have time to dwell on such dark things. She had Potions with Professor Snape immediately after breakfast and she hadn't really put enough thought into her essay. Following class she would have her Weekly Individual Personal Interview with Professor Vector so she would not have any time between classes to catch up for her Advanced Charms class. Hermione briefly considered skipping breakfast to work on her essay, before shaking her head and starting down. There was no cause to alienate Ron by missing one of the three most important parts of his day.

Hermione had to admit that the food in Hogwarts was incredible. The tastes and flavors of food they ate were well worth the food diary they were required to keep and turn into their Head of House. The delicious flavors were almost worth the incessant chatter that always accompanied each meal and almost enough to make up for Ronald Weasley's atrocious table manners. Almost, enough. Luckily for him, Hermione did value his friendship enough to put up with it, otherwise she would have made sure to wait until most of the students left before venturing down to eat. Today, though, there seemed to be an extra bit of attention towards the pair and Hermione was getting the feeling something bad was about to happen.

"Still trying to eat enough to make up for your lack at home, are you, Weasley?" the snide voice of Draco Malfoy announced loudly from behind them. Of course, Hermione realized. The biggest git in the school would have to come around now. Without Harry around, the Malfoy boy had become even more overbearing than before. He had taken to taunting Ron at every opportunity.

"Stuff it, Malfoy," was Ron's retort. It would have been at least bit at least slightly successful as a comeback if his mouth itself wasn't stuffed when he opened his it to talk and if bits of porridge hadn't have flown out as he spoke.

"Careful, Weasley, you might lose some of that food you're stuffing into your mouth. Back home that might be a week's worth of meals, isn't that right boys?" Draco taunted with a vindictive smile on his face. The two brutish boys standing behind Draco smiled and nodded along with him.

Hermione just rolled her eyes. "Look, Draco," Hermione said calmly, turning her head so that she could see him out of the side of her eyes while speaking, "we're just trying to have breakfast here. Don't you have anything better to do than stand around staring at Ron as if you fancied him?"

"Why you—" Draco started to bluster for a second before calming down. Then his customary smirk found its way back onto his face. "Actually, Granger," Draco all but spat her surname, "I thought I would come by and see how you were taking the news. But it seems you haven't seen the Daily Prophet yet today. Maybe you and Weasley there can't afford a copy?" He threw an open paper on the table between Ron and Hermione. "There you go. We Malfoys do need to help out those poor witches and wizards among us. Consider that a gift from me. That is, if Weasley there has enough brains to read it." And then Draco walked back off with his pair of lackeys following behind him.

Hermione just shook her head. She loathed Draco in a way she didn't think she could ever dislike someone. There was a foulness that clung to him, a rot that came from being spoilt and pampered beyond anything reasonable. If there was anyone she hated as much as Sirius Black, it would have to be Draco Malfoy.

"Don't let him get you worked up, Ron," she was saying to Ron, though in truth she was speaking as much to herself as to him. "He's not worth the aggravation."

Hermione ran her wand over the copy of the Daily Prophet, checking for hexes before she would touch it. Despite being a couple years above her and Ron, Draco was not all that skilled of a wizard. She was confident she could find any sort of trap he might have placed on the paper. There was no way she would be caught by—

Hermione's face went pale as she suddenly grabbed the paper, her eyes feverishly pouring over the text. Every word she read she made her more and more agitated, her eyes wide and her body shaking. In fact, she was so visibly affected by the power of what she was reading that Ron stopped eating out of concern for her.

"Hermione? You alright? You look like you've seen a ghost."

Finally, after reading the same stretch of text over for the fourth time, she managed to tear her eyes away from it. "No! No it can't be!" Then she threw the paper back down on the table.

Ron, tentatively took up the paper and started reading as well. At first he didn't understand what he was reading, but then his eyes widened as well. "Blimey! I can't believe it! Harry is a dark wizard now?"

Now Hermione could see the stares and looks the pair of them getting for what they were. They were stares of sympathy, curiosity, and in the case of some, cruelty. There, on the front page of the Daily Prophet, was the announcement that Harry Potter was alive. Alive, but turned to darkness through the manipulation of Sirius Black and his growing gang of malcontents. Her best friend was the newest Death Eater.

Twin emotions warred within the young witch. The first was a feeling of denial and anger at what was written in the paper. There was no way that Harry…Harry Potter, her friend for as long as she had been at Hogwarts, was a dark wizard. He just couldn't be. She knew him. It was impossible. The second emotion, though, was comforting, despite conflicting with her other feelings. He was not dead after all. He was alive. Somewhere out there, Harry still lived.

"No, it's not true, Ron. Harry isn't like that."

"Well, it is in the paper there. Says he killed some auror sent to get him and Black," Ron answered with a frown, only half believing what he was saying.

"It says that now, but when Harry disappeared they were saying that Black had killed him. It also said that Black had killed John, but now it says John is part of their group of dark wizards, too." Hermione looked at Ron intently. "So, you see, they were wrong before. So, they have to be wrong about Harry now."

"Well, I guess maybe," Ron backtracked, looking uncomfortable. He didn't like doubting what the Daily Prophet said. It just seemed…sacrilegious.

"Come on, Ron. You know Harry. He's our friend. He can't be dark. And even John seemed like an alright guy."

"Yeah, I guess so, Hermione," Ron conceded. On the other hand, Ron didn't think he could withstand the look he was getting from Hermione. The Prophet was an important source of news, but it couldn't glare the way an incredulous witch could. Definitely best to side with his friend than an semi-animate bit of parchment.

Hermione's intense look became a smile. "That's right, Ron. We're going to be the ones who believed in Harry. And when it comes out that he's really innocent, he'll know who his real friends were all along."

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At the head table in the Great Hall, several pairs of piercing eyes took in the interaction between Draco Malfoy, Hermione Granger, and Ron Weasley with great interest. At its conclusion there were worried and concerned looks all around.

"I think I had best go talk to the wee dears, Albus," the Deputy Headmistress said, concern in her voice. "This is going to be a real shock to them."

"Yes, I think you are right, Minerva. Please express my sympathy to them when you do," the Headmaster responded.

Minerva rose from her place at the table, gave a quick curtsy of respect to the Headmaster, and then headed down to care for her charges. As soon as she left, Albus Dumbledore locked eyes with Severus Snape. The black robed wizard froze in place as the connection was made, his pupils dilating. Albus showed no visible sign of what was going on.

'They do not believe the report, Severus.'

'Indeed, Headmaster, they do not.'

'That is unfortunate. What is your feeling on this, Severus? What will it take for them to accept the facts we wish them to accept? How far do we need to go?'

There was a pause before Severus replied. 'Weasley should be a simple matter. A carefully scripted talk between you and his parents, as well as a bit of reinforcement should get him accept the…input.'

The smile on Albus's face widened fractionally. 'Very good. The girl, I expect will not be so easy to persuade. Perhaps she will need to have her mind altered.'

Severus hesitated once more. 'I'm afraid, Headmaster, that may not be practical. My feeling, if you excuse me, is that her belief in Mr. Potter is too absolute to be simply altered. Any attempt to do so by force would likely render her…unsuitable for your purposes.' Severus let that thought hang for a moment before continuing. 'Of course, Headmaster, if that is an acceptable outcome then…'

'No, no. You are quite right that we would much prefer no irreversible harm to come to Miss Granger. While she is not as useful as Potter would be, she is still far too valuable to risk in such a manner. As always, Severus, your insight has proven to be of great help.'

'Thank you, Headmaster. Then what of the girl?'

'We must watch her. Carefully.'