Chapter 25

It was the week before the Second Task. Albus had convinced the Champions and those involved that the hostages would be perfectly safe. He had apparently enlisted Toyotama to provide assistance by watching over the hostages with the merpeople. Also the hostages would be awake and able to assist on the return.

Gabrielle was thrilled, she was going to be a part of the tournament.

Tracey had agreed to play Viktor's hostage.

But that left Harry and his hostage.

There was a lot of discussion over who it would be.

Harry knew he shouldn't have been surprised when he returned back to his quarters at the end of the day. It was quite in character really.

He just stood there watching as Gemma, Daphne, Pansy and Tracey wrestled with each other in string bikinis… covered in jam.

Fleur was happily cheering them on from his chair.

He didn't bother stopping them or questioning them, he simply headed for his bedroom to shower and change for the evening.

As the bedroom door closed with a click the girls ceased their grappling.

"That bastard." Pansy growled. "He didn't even take a proper look! I'm sitting here, covered strawberry jam, wearing scandalous clothing, groping my beautiful friends and he just walks past!"

"Well, I don't know about you four," Daphne said as she casually stood up. "But I need a good shower." She peeled off her bikini with a grimace. "Coming girls?" She asked with a smirk as she strutted towards Harry's bedroom.

"I do not need a shower." Fleur pouted.

Pansy rolled her eyes as she stood up, marched over to Fleur and shoved a jam covered hand up her shirt causing the French girl to squeak. "And now you do."

There was quick round of shared looks before they all squealed and took off after Daphne and Harry.

Into the silence of the aftermath, Dobby became visible. He surveyed the room, the carpet had jam crushed into it. The ceiling was splattered with it. The furniture- Dobby began to vibrate on the spot.

"DOBBY IS LUCKIEST ELF IN WORLD!" He squealed in delight before he got to work.

"I like idea."

Everyone stared at the grinning Bulgarian in disbelief.

"But she would be doomed to finish last!" Amelia tried to reason with the Champions.

They were in Albus' office (he had finally moved back in) and discussing the hostages for the Second Task.

Which was tomorrow.

"Miss Delacour cannot be 'ostage and Champion." Madame Maxime frowned.

"She can if we change the method of timing." Harry grinned.

Fleur did not look happy. She also didn't look sad or angry. She looked unimpressed but resigned to her fate.

Behind the Champions stood the girls and Gabrielle. The girls were pouting and Gabrielle was grinning like a loon.

After ambushing Harry in the shower (and Harry subsequently fleeing) they had explained that the jam wrestling was how they were trying to decide who would be Harry's hostage.

Tracey had just grinned impishly when Harry asked why she was involved as she had already agreed to be Viktor's hostage.

"It's simple. Instead of using an allotted time of one hour, we judge the Champions on how long each of them takes to complete the task." Harry reasoned.

"Which will still mean that Fleur will have to spend a lot of time doing the task after you and Viktor have finished." Amelia argued.

"Hot babe in a bathing suit." Harry shrugged, ignoring the elbow from Fleur. "You've gone mental if you think anyone will be watching me and Vik."

It certainly didn't help that Viktor was nodding thoughtfully as well.

That evening, Harry and Fleur went out for a meal. They were chaperoned by Sirius and Minerva a few tables back.

It was a muggle restaurant.

So Sirius and Minerva were chaperoned by Dudley and Fiona.

Harry decided that next time he would just order in.

"'Arry, you do know you are 'urting your girls, non?" Fleur asked seriously as they waited for their order. "You keep ignoring their advances. They are thinking you do not see them as beautiful."

"Well that's bloody ridiculous!"

"Language!"

Harry ignored the hissed admonition from the older Scott behind him. "Those girls are stunning!"

"Then why do you not return their affections?"

"You mean other than the fact that you and I are courting?" He asked pointedly.

Fleur just scoffed. "You know that I am veela. All veela are women. If I couldn't find a man I would have found a veela."

Harry's face twisted into one of confusion. "So… that means you are open to relationships with women. I assume that you are also implying you do not mind relationships with multiple partners."

"Yes 'Arry." She said simply. "Now answer my question."

"How old am I Fleur?"

"Fourteen."

Harry paused at that. "Wasn't expecting that response." He muttered. "Anyway, we both know that that isn't true. The girls are only fourteen, sixteen in Gemma's case, but still, they are not of the age to make them legally eligible to participate in sexual relations."

Fleur's English was improving a lot, her accent was getting better too. But still… "Que?"

"They are too damned young."

"You are king. You make the rules." She pointed out.

"I am not going to have one set of rules for me and one for the rest of the country." Harry shook his head. "Like I said, they are only fourteen, they should experience as much as they can whilst they are still children."

"Even if what they want is you?" She continued before he could answer. "Your girls 'ave been faithful to you since they were eleven. They 'ave never wanted anybody else."

Harry just sighed.

"I know you love them, 'Arry." Fleur said kindly. "Just as you love me. And although I 'ave only known you for a few months, I am falling in love with you as well."

Harry looked at her with a sad smile. "You looked beautiful on your wedding day. You smiled so happily. It was a bright spark in the darkness of the war."

"We were married?" She asked in surprise.

Harry laughed. "Absolutely not! We were friends, but the first time we met you called me a 'little boy' in a very derogatory way. Do you want to know who you married?"

"Non." Fleur said fiercely. "Zat Fleur is gone. Zere is only me and I love you." Her accent got heavier as she got more passionate.

There was moment's silence an awkwardness. It didn't help that everyone at the table behind them not only heard but understood what was happening. They felt dirty for hearing it.

"Ok."

Fleur looked Harry warily. He said that so casually.

"So, do you think Gabby will be asleep by the time we get back?" He asked with a grin.

"Not unless ma mere has used her wand." Fleur said slowly, trying to ease out of the tenseness of the previous conversation.

"You know, I had to rescue Gabby in the second task last time."

"Non! Why would she be your 'ostage?"

"She wasn't. You got ambushed by grindylow. You couldn't reach her. I didn't know that the hostages weren't in danger and refused to leave until they were collected. I waited for Cedric and Viktor to get their hostages, when you didn't turn up I took both mine and yours."

"I bet Gabby was impossible to separate from you after." Fleur giggled.

"I never saw her again until your wedding."

"That is terrible!" Fleur scowled. "She adores you, how-"

"Fleur, last time I wasn't the official champion. I was entered against my will. Nobody believed me, even after I was abducted by the bastard and Cedric was killed."

"So-"

"So I was a pariah. Only Hermione really stayed with me."

"You were a couple?" Fleur asked sadly.

"No, just very good friends. She was one of the most important people in my life. She never abandoned me."

"She-"

"Ember! N-"

Everybody sighed as Harry vanished in flame.

"Blimey! We thought there might be an attempt, just never thought it would be his phoenix." Fleur jumped as the man at the table in front of her turned and waved his wand at her in greeting.

"God damn you!" Harry ranted at the chirping bird.

Ember was highly agitated and flew off.

That's when Harry realised he was in the Chamber of Secrets.

And that the Portia Astria was activating.

"Shit!" Harry tossed off a patronus messenger. The various suits of armour that had been placed as security were moving into formation around the stone looking circle.

"Ember, get Blinky." Harry ordered as he readied his wand.

It was only seconds after Ember vanished that the portal connected and exploded in what looked like a bomb under water.

By that time Blinky and Ember where back.

"Blinky, petrify only." Harry instructed.

Seconds later six well-built men dressed as soldiers came tumbling through the portal in a heap.

"I want you to think very carefully before you decide to even blink." Harry said dangerously.

The men looked up slowly. "Colonel-"

"Easy men." Another man said cautiously.

"Now, very slowly, stand up and raise your hands very high in the air." Harry instructed.

"As the boy said." A completely different man ordered as he stood slowly. "On your feet and hands in the air."

Harry ran a cursory eye over the men. They were wearing packs, guns and knives. Two were wearing helmets. The one who ordered them to follow Harry's orders was wearing a beret with a badge that Harry didn't recognise.

But Harry did deduce a few things just from the few words they had spoken and how they acted.

"So, how about you explain how a group of American soldiers managed to find themselves tumbling out of my Portia Astria?" Harry calmly asked, never taking his wand off them.

"This is the twentieth century?" The leader asked in surprise.

"Despite the suits of armour, the portal does not have a built in time travel feature." Harry rolled his eyes.

"But- How did you get the stargate from the-"

"Soldier! Stow it!" Barked the first man who spoke.

"Stargate? I suppose that's an acceptable translation." Harry mused. Then he looked at them with a smirk. "So, the American military has managed to activate the portal from Africa."

The soldiers tensed.

"I'm going to need four things from you, gentlemen. Name, rank, serial number and the name of someone who can vouch for you."

At this point a whole multitude of people came barrelling down the corridor leading into the Chamber.

"Really? It's still 1995?" The leader asked disbelievingly as he looked at the people in long dresses straight out of a Renaissance Fair.

Harry rapidly fired off stunners at the six men, by the time he had finished, the last man had barely raised his foot.

"I want them placed in a secure room with round the clock guards." Harry ordered. "Contact Amelia and have her begin talking to her American colleagues. I want to know who they are and what they were doing before they came through the portal.

"I'll interrogate them tomorrow."

"Second Task." Sirius coughed pointedly.

"That's gonna take a few hours. I'll have plenty of time to compete and return."

"We can begin the interrogations whilst you compete." Sirius assured him.

"Sirius, these men are muggles. They won't understand what you are asking and you won't understand how they answer."

"I'll start the interrogations."

Harry looked at his cousin with a raised eyebrow. Dudley, like himself, was just fourteen. But the truth was that there was no one else who knew more about the portals and what was beyond the planet except Harry and Aurora.

"Ok Dud. But Hagrid stays in the room with you."

"David can help." Fiona offered.

"No Fi, David is a good man, it's bad enough that he associates with what is essentially a foreign power, he will get in a lot of trouble if anyone finds out he was meddling in their affairs."

"Harry, leave this in our hands." Frank said firmly. "We'll get the initial information and start immediately on contacting the Americans."

"Alright." Harry agreed reluctantly. "But before you do anything, get Sev and have him strip search the men. Check for any foreign objects that they might carry or have inserted in them."

"Their soldiers, Harry. Not double-0 agents." Dudley's smirk lasted about a second. Harry's glare was enough to remember that he shouldn't assume anything.

The Second Task… boredom personified.

Even the Champions were bored.

"Was no challenge." Viktor grumbled as they sat in the medical tent. Harry had rescued Fleur by calling in his ship. It took him five minutes.

Viktor made it back just a few seconds before Fleur.

"I think Toyotama-hime scared off most of the dangers." Harry stage whispered, said Water Dragon was standing next to Gabrielle's bed and brushing her hair.

"I am just a simple girl from a simple family." She hissed in parseltongue primly.

"And I'm just a fourteen year old boy." Harry retorted sarcastically.

Viktor had managed a full transformation into a shark as opposed to his partial attempt during Harry's first time through. Fleur took a similar route to Harry.

She enchanted a glass bowl to provide air and be unbreakable. She also fashioned a triangular piece of wood that would drag her where she wanted.

Pretty much the underwater version of a broomstick.

"You should try and do a transfiguration as a dolphin." Tracey piped up next to Viktor. "That way you can travel underwater but also breach the surface. Plus, I bet Gabrielle would enjoy swimming with dolphins." She grinned as the little girl's face lit up in excitement.

"Have you planned our summer getaway yet, Harry?" Tracey asked.

"You know I don't arrange that sort of thing. Besides, I was planning on seeing if Luna wanted to explore the planet Lantea, I was checking the city's sensors and there is a large landmass nearby."

"That sounds amazing!" Tracey beamed. "Maybe some of those animals she can see will be there too."

"Possible, but unlikely. Still, we all know Luna will go searching." Harry chuckled.

"Can I come 'Arry?"

"Gabby, put those away." Harry ordered the little girl with the large soulful eyes and pouty lips. "If I want a puppy I'll go play with Fluffy.

"As long as your parents say it ok, then you can come to Atlantis." He assured her.

"Ah! Ladies and gentlemen!" They turned to see Albus entering with the other judges. "A wondrous performance you put on!"

"Albie, it was the most boring thing I've ever been a part of." Harry said slowly and pointedly. "And I spent ten years living in a cupboard."

"He's right Albus." Amelia snorted. "We completely failed to give them a challenge."

"In Dumblydoor's defence, we were not allowed to use dangerous creatures." Madame Maxine said unhappily.

"It's a sad day when the professors of three schools can't put their heads together to come up with a decent challenge that will test the students' brains and ingenuity." Harry shook his head.

"Watch it mister!" Penny grinned as she ruffled his hair. "I've already commandeered the third task. Toyotama-hime and Yoshiko have agreed to help. I'm going to see if I can rope Ganos in as well."

"Sounds interesting." Harry mused.

"You have our scores, professors?" Fleur asked respectfully.

Amelia took up that duty. "Harry is of course in first place. There was some argument over whether he cheated by using his ship but that was put to rest by the fact that he created it and built it.

"We queried the professors and they say they had no part in this particular vessel."

"You created a new ship?" Tracey asked.

"I wanted a much smaller version." Harry explained. "It wouldn't be fair to the squid, merpeople and other creatures in the lake if I dropped the original ship in the lake."

"'Ow did Fleur fit in?" Gabrielle asked curiously.

Harry grinned. "It's bigger on the inside."

Tracey just groaned. She would be having words with Dudley and Fiona. The pair were avid Dr Who fans and they had clearly infected Harry.

"Staying on track!" Amelia glared at them. "Viktor is in second place by a single point, simply because Fleur was only fractionally slower in her completion.

"Madam Maxime, Penny, please speak to the heads of your school's countries. Tell them that I would be willing to host the Tri-Wizard Tournament on a regular basis so long as certain rules and regulations are put in place.

"The main one being that the Goblet of Fire is never used again. Students should participate in internal school competitions to determine the champions."

"Oh Harry!" Penny squealed as she grabbed him in a hug.

She eventually released him to reveal a very red and grumpy face. "Why doesn't Ember ever rescue me when I need it?"

"Colonel Jack O'Neill, United States Air Force."

"What did you do to my men?" The Colonel demanded as he sat at a table in a simple apartment with stone walls.

"Nothing."

"I want to speak to someone in charge. Stop sending kids in to do adult work."

"Colonel, I am the highest ranking person in the country." Harry responded calmly. Behind him were Dudley and Severus, standing quietly.

"What are you? Barely sixteen!?" The Colonel said in amusement.

"Fourteen. And please address him as his position deserves, King Harry or 'Your Majesty'." Dudley said firmly.

"Kid, I know for a fact there aren't any reigning monarchs under twenty in any country."

"Welcome to Magical Britain." Harry said with a hint of sarcasm. "Colonel, I don't want any classified information from you. I just want to know who to contact so I can turn you over.

"I know all about the Portia Astria, or Stargate, as you called it. I've used it to travel to a few planets. To be honest I prefer my own portals."

"The stargate only goes to one place. There was only one address." O'Neill frowned.

"No, there are plenty of stargates in systems throughout multiple galaxies." Harry corrected him. "Now, we have tried to make contact with the US Air Force but they deny knowing about you. I don't suppose you know anyone in the British Military?"

"Why?" The Colonel asked suspiciously.

"Because I might be able to get them to come and take you off my hands so they can hand you back to your government."

Colonel Jack O'Neill stared at the boy in front of him. The kid was relaxed, unconcerned and didn't consider him a threat. He actually looked bored.

"Where am I?"

"A castle in Scotland. The precise location is secret but that's just because the castle is also a school and we keep it secret to protect the children."

"You have an inter-planetary portal stored in a school?" O'Neill was sceptical of that.

"It's actually the most secure place on the islands."

"You are damned lucky we just took out Ra." O'Neill breathed out with a shudder.

"Ra? The Goa'uld?" Harry sat forward, O'Neill now had his full attention. "You killed Ra? The Sun God?"

"Yeah." He knew he shouldn't be revealing this information but it wasn't really relevant to America so it wouldn't compromise their security. "Our mission was threat evaluation. We had a nuke, Ra turned up and we had to blow his ship to save the locals and prevent him accessing Earth through the stargate."

"Shit!" Harry slapped the table angrily.

"Harry?" Severus finally spoke up with concern.

"I told you about the Goa'uld, they have a loose alliance and hold themselves up as gods. Ra was their leader. When they find out about his death they will track down everyone involved."

"There's more of those creepy bastards?" O'Neill asked in surprise.

"Millions of their species, thousands who have taken human hosts and hundreds vying for positions of power." Harry growled. "And you just managed to point them all at us."

"How soon will they find us?" Dudley asked.

"I have no idea. Ra was pretty much the only thing holding the Goa'uld together as an alliance. With him gone they will start fighting for dominance.

"At best, we have a year."

"Their ships can reach Earth?" O'Neill asked.

"Yep. They only use the stargates for cargo and cattle. They don't trust that it will be safe on the other side, ambushes and whatnot."

"Wouldn't moving animals from one planet to another risk endangering the local ecosystems?" Dudley asked. He was often reading the latest protocols that Harry's teams were developing for when they began interstellar travel.

"By 'cattle', I mean slaves, human slaves." Harry grimaced.

"How do you know all this?" The Colonel asked.

"I read."

"He's not talking about books found on Earth." Dudley quickly added. "Harry already has one alien ally."

"You've made contact with extra-terrestrials?" O'Neill asked dubiously.

"Sure. Technically they made contact with me. They saw me starting to travel in space and-"

"You can travel in space? We've been travelling in space for over three decades! Why didn't they come to us?" He demanded indignantly.

"Probably because of that type of attitude." Severus sneered.

O'Neill winced. "Sure, not exactly a good example." He admitted. "But still, why wait until a kid can do it?"

"Perhaps because he achieved this as a child." Severus was beginning tire of this conversation.

"It's irrelevant!" Harry interrupted. "We need to focus on the immediate threat. We need to come up with a plan." Harry said as he stood in frustration. "Severus, he has ten minutes to give you the name of someone who will acknowledge his existence and get us in contact with the US Government. If he still refuses, take the information."

O'Neill's blood ran cold at that statement, but he remained impassive.

"It is a shame my allure does not work on him." Fleur commented to Filius as they watched Harry pace back and forward in the Chamber of Secrets. "'E needs to relax."

"It is not just you he is immune to, my dear." Filius sighed. "Since he claimed the sword and throne, he is immune to nearly all magic."

"Que?"

Filius chuckled. "I've been throwing calming charms at the lad since I arrived." He showed her his wand, held surreptitiously under his arm.

"That was you!?" Harry suddenly rounded on him. "Well… stop it! It itches!"

"Wait, the magic does affect you?" Filius asked with worry and interest.

"Only in so far as I know a spell hit me. Nothing more." Harry waved a hand nonchalantly.

At that time, Severus entered the Chamber. "I have the names of several people. Madam Bones has them now and is contacting the muggle Prime Minister."

"Alright, that's good."

"There is another piece of information I gleaned from his mind." Severus winced. "They left a man behind. Specifically the man who deciphered the portal and managed to activate it. The one who managed to send them back and subsequently, through our portal."

"Fu-"

"Harry!"

"Did you get the location of the planet they went to?"

Severus handed Harry a piece of parchment.

Harry took the parchment over to a wooden desk which was inlaid with coloured crystals. There were symbols etched into the wood. He tapped a few of the symbols and an image of the Milky Way appeared over the desk.

"This day just gets worse and worse." Harry sighed as he used the desk to zoom in on the image. "This planet, it's the closest planet to Earth with a portal."

"What do you intend to do?" Filius asked.

"Travel to the planet, find the man they left behind and try and sort something out that will prevent him and the people there being a liability to Earth."

"Harry! This whole fiasco is spiralling out of control." They turned to see Amelia storming up with Kingsley Shacklebot and his rookie, Nymphadora Tonks. They were Amelia's security as the Prime Minister of Magical Britain. "The muggle Prime Minister is threatening military action against us. He is accusing us of sedition and treason for acknowledging you as king."

Harry looked at her in disbelief. "You did mention that whole deal with the possible extra-terrestrial threat?"

"Of course I did! But he wasn't in the mood to listen. I introduced myself as soon as you appointed me. I gave him a run down of your story and our new government. It seems he has been making plans with the muggle queen since then."

"I don't need this!" Harry was near screaming. "This is why I hate politic-Mphfff!" Harry's tirade was halted by a pair of lips pressed against his, a tongue soon demanding entrance.

"I thought her allure didn't work on Harry." Filius was surprised as he watched Fleur passionately kiss his honorary nephew.

Amelia just snorted. "She's a woman, Filius. She has more than magic at her disposal."

"As… effective, as this is, we still need a plan." Severus turned away from the sight of his master getting the stuffing snogged out of him. "I managed to catch glimpses of this 'Ra' that the Colonel says they defeated. His technology is beyond anything the muggles have. If they come to Earth then we are doomed."

"I am not personally worried about these so-called 'gods'." Filius said thoughtfully. "Harry is more than capable of having a plan in place. The immediate issue is the muggle threats."

"Filius, I only made it out of the Prime Minister's office because they wanted me to deliver the message." Amelia shuddered. "They were more than willing to imprison me. They easily disarmed myself and my aurors." She indicated her bodyguards who also looked concerned.

"That's because you underestimated them." Severus fought not to sneer. "You also assumed they would not take offence to the fact that you declared there was new king ruling on British soil."

"Well what would you suggest then?" Tonks did sneer. She was one of the last students to have to deal with the pre-enslaved Severus Snape.

"We must persuade His Majesty to allow us to handle the muggles. He should focus on the aliens." Severus said thoughtfully.

There was a flash of fire and they all turned to see Harry and Fleur had vanished. Nobody doubted for a second that a certain mischievous phoenix was involved.

"Filius, I will require yourself and Minerva in order to perform reconnaissance so that we can determine the reality of the threat the muggles pose to us." Severus addressed his colleague.

"I will fetch Minerva. Meet us in my quarters."

"No, mine." Severus corrected.

Filius simply nodded and headed off.

Severus turned to Amelia. "For the time being, do nothing about the muggles. Appear to ignore them. But increase your security. Contact the goblins and have them improve your wards, explain the situation and request a goblin guard. This situation is a threat to all magical beings."

"Dudley, we are about to embark on a mission which, whilst will require your expertise, will pit you against your girlfriend's brother."

Dudley looked at the dourer than usual Potions Master with a raised eyebrow. "I know Harry said you could have your freedom, but you are still bound not to hurt him, right?"

Severus actually chuckled. "I am. The muggle British Government has made substantial threats against the King and his people. The five of us will perform reconnaissance and try to determine if they are a truly viable threat or if they are merely posturing."

Dudley looked at the four adults, Filius, Minerva, Severus and Yoshiko. "You do remember that I didn't travel through time? I am still fourteen."

"Dudley, despite Severus and Yoshiko's experience in the non-magical realm, we are still not completely conversant with their technology." Filius explained. "Every time you bring something new to Hogwarts you leave us baffled and confused." He said with a chuckle. "We do not require your infiltration skills, simply your knowledge and ability to identify things."

Dudley let out a sigh. "Alright, but just don't ask me how it works or operates. Fiona still has to remind me how to get my emails."

When Harry and Fleur exited his bedroom, they were fairly rumpled. Harry looked a bit dazed and Fleur had a satisfied smile.

They were met by four unhappy and pouting girls.

"Look, I will talk to Sirius and Agatha about formalising a relationship when you all hit sixteen, but not before." Harry said in exasperation. "In the meantime I will take you out and court you like you deserve. Physical contact will be carefully monitored until you hit sixteen."

"Great! I have to wait till next March!" Tracey complained. She was silenced by a hand on her shoulder from Gemma. "But I can be patient." She pouted. "As long as I get some alternate action to hold me over."

Gemma had pointed out that she was already of age. Harry didn't want to show preferences so he lumped everybody together, including Fleur.

"Trust me, 'e might need some… encouragement, but 'Arry can definitely 'old you over." Fleur looked a little unsteady on her legs as she moved to sit down.

The girls, bar Pansy, joined her as Pansy herself pulled Harry onto his chair and sat on his lap. He had a feeling the girls had worked out a rota.

Gemma pulled out a notebook she always carried. She had taken on the role of Harry's secretary. "Severus stopped by and said he was handling the 'Muggle Situation'. He suggested that you should focus on the 'Gold'?" She frowned at him.

"'Goa'uld'." Harry corrected. "Those soldiers who came through the portal in the Chamber killed one of them. The problem is that the rest will come looking for some payback."

"I'll ask Terrence to create a briefing on the various projects." She said as she made a note.

Terrence Higgs had created a small club that consisted of all years and backgrounds. The muggle raised would bring technical devices for the wiggle raised to try and recreate with magic. The wiggle raised would bring magical devices for the muggle raised to emulate.

Terry took great pleasure in naming it 'The Pottery Club'. Harry objected due to there being no pots or clay involved but Terry said that all they were doing was 'pottering about'.

"I'm going to have to spend more time on Atlantis." Harry grumbled. "I didn't want to research Alteran technology until our own was up to par. But if the bastards are coming soon then I can't risk the wait."

"If I were you then I wouldn't risk trying to get into any building until we can test the technology against magic." Dudley said gravely.

They had just exited Albus' pensive filled with Severus' memories as he toured a few buildings such as Scotland Yard.

"There were cameras everywhere, plus the metal detectors."

"And you are sure that charms and cloaks will not be enough?" Minerva asked with concern.

"Some of the cameras used in the military can view heat. They can see the hot areas of your body. We need to find out if cloaks and charms will hide more than just what humans can see.

"I'll talk to Harry and ask him to get me some simple gear that we can easily test."

"Not to worry Dudley my boy, I will get funds from Aurora, she is always interested in new imaging techniques and will appreciate the chance to experiment as well." Filius assured him.