Chapter 24 - Cleanup
Shamal was interrupted by her Device that afternoon.
"Raising Heart has entered Full Drive. Two cartridges loaded," Klarer Wind informed her.
Shamal immediately sent messages to Fate and the rest of the Yagami family, that she was going after Nanoha. "Klarer Wind, bring me to her location, now."
"Transferring."
A brief moment later, she found herself somewhere on Earth. Her Device informed her she was currently in the Scottish Highlands.
Shamal took a quick look around her. She noted that several teenagers in black cloaks were staring at her. Of these people, some of them were carrying people inside what seemed to be a castle reinforced with magic. She then noted that the people carried wands, except for some of the unconscious that had carried other weapons. Of the ones knocked out, they seemed to be grown men and women, unlike the minors who were still up and alert. She looked behind her to find two giant men floating in a large lake, and a huge crater in the ground far behind them.
"Oh great. Nanoha made a mess again."
Nanoha was busy directing the army. The wounded had to be treated inside with Madam Pomfrey, while the captured were to be corralled first outside. Several teachers gave them basic treatment, which would be enough until the Ministry could take a look at them. Surely some would be identified as known Death Eaters.
The battle ended with her taking down the two incapacitated giants. (It was a stroke of tremendous luck to have them appear in the lake.) Afterwards, everyone busied themselves with getting treatment for the wounded. Madam Pomfrey had the twenty-six students who were injured by werewolves troop up to the infirmary immediately. (No one was bitten as they were not in the form of wolves. Perhaps Voldemort somehow expected to let the battle turn into a long siege, as it would be a full moon tonight. That, or they were simply expendable to him as they were not wizards.) Only those twenty-six were hurt on their side, due to good teamwork in shoring up their defenses. Having someone who could cast large magical barriers had helped too.
More than eighty of the Death Eaters were recovered after the battle. Many of them were green recruits, and very few had actual Dark Marks. They were obviously expendable.
Of the three dozen (or so) werewolves, most escaped with a Portkey. Only three were caught.
The Dementors fled after the first salvo of Patronus Charms.
The giants were still floating in the lake. Nanoha's Buster attack had knocked them out for at least a few hours. Once someone could find a safe way to handle them, they'd get on it.
The teachers and examiners weren't hurt, but unlike the army which had regular mock battles between battalions, they were very much stressed out by the battle. They all opted to rest in the infirmary. Nanoha was in charge of the cleanup now.
Trelawney, Firenze and the students who did not undergo Squad Training were safely in the castle the entire time.
Nanoha knew that she had a lot to answer for. The Bureau members on Earth would call her in for initiating such a battle, but she knew it was justified as in the defense of the students instead of attacking the Death Eaters. Within jurisdiction or not, the Bureau would agree that the safety of hundreds of people (who happen to be talented magic users) was a lot more important than foreign policy concerning a rather small nation state. The Ministry would start a shouting match, but they can't quite outright condone anyone who had protected just about every child in Wizarding Britain.
The only thing left was to await Shamal's arrival...
"Hello Nanoha," said a voice behind Nanoha. It was rather good timing, too...
"Shamal, I know you're upset, but-"
"A mountain, Nanoha. I specifically said that if you used enough magic to level a mountain, you would risk your health. What is behind me right now?"
"Two unconscious, floating giants."
"Behind that?"
"A mountain range."
"From your position, face the giants directly and look at that spot in the range. Shouldn't there be a mountain there?"
"Most likely."
"Why is it, Nanoha, that there is crater where a mountain should be? Do you hate mountains, or are you trying to hurt yourself? I might actually understand if it was the former, but if you want to ruin yourself like this, we have some problems." At this point, most of the students were listening in.
"Look, stranger things have happened. I can explain everything... okay, most of this."
"You can explain on a hospital bed!" Shamal grabbed Nanoha by the shoulder and started pushing her into the castle. "You there! Where's the infirmary?" she asked Malfoy, who was nearest.
Nanoha intervened, "I'll show you. Look, bind my hands and take Raising Heart, okay? I won't run."
Shamal consented. "...Fine. It must've been serious if you're offering this much."
"Ano... I was kinda... hit with a Killing Curse, is that really serious?"
"That's it. Infirmary, now. We'll talk there."
Shamal took Nanoha to the infirmary. It was quite a sight for the staff to see the cause of their terror being handled by a motherly stranger, akin to a small girl holding on to the leash of a vicious dog. Somehow, she convinced Nanoha to lay still and quietly on the hospital bed, a feat that amazed Madam Pomfrey. Nanoha tried to mutter excuses, but she stopped every time Shamal looked at her. In the infirmary, the White Devil was powerless before her doctor.
Madam Pomfrey gave her the records pertaining to Nanoha's health that year. Shamal was in all seriousness as she scanned Nanoha, checked the records, and listened to Nanoha's telepathy as she narrated the events of the year.
All in all, Nanoha managed to slow her recovery, but there was no sign that she was hurting herself. Not counting what she had found out to be a major battle in defense of the school (Shamal understood that Nanoha was only thinking about her students. Nanoha was very protective as a teacher.), Nanoha barely used any magic.
The Killing Curse was nullified by Nanoha's huge reserves of mana. It might have tired her, but she recovered from that.
Apparently, Nanoha did manage to go crazy on training without hurting herself. Wizards seemed to be pretty weak magically, so it was alright to have mock battles with them every day. If only it held true with mage trainees as well...
Shamal finished her diagnosis. "Okay Nanoha, it wasn't as bad as I thought. No permanent harm, somehow. I definitely can't allow you to use high-level magic, and you will have to stay on medical leave for maybe two more years."
"Good enough. Can I go now?"
"...Alright. Do you mind if I stay and help here-" Shamal was about to face Madam Pomfrey, who interrupted her.
"Teach me."
"What, you're not a qualified healer?"
"No. Teach me how you got her to submit to treatment."
Shamal sighed. "There's no trick. It's just, ten years of experience. Ten years of putting up with her recklessness."
Nanoha walked out to see that she had been right in expecting the Bureau to come. What seemed to be the entire Observation team assembled outside the castle.
The man in front addressed her. "Master Sergeant Anton Burgess, officer in charge of the Observation mission of potential magic culture on Non-Administrated Planet #97. I do suppose you remember me..."
Nanoha grinned. "Former Corporal Anton Burgess, did eight months of training in 0071, a little timid and suffered bowel problems..."
"Please don't."
"Alright, what am I in for?"
"Not much, the whole incident is justifiable, so I'll handle it in the report. You're in no trouble, so long as you never speak of that training incident to anyone on this planet." Burgess was serious as he finished his sentence. Even under blackmail, a Bureau officer is expected to act professional.
"My lips are sealed."
"Of the men captured, we hand them over to local government, which is alright with you?"
"That's fine. Are we allowed to put in a recommendation for these men not to be put with Dementors?"
"If only. We'll try, but no guarantees."
"It's enough."
"Of the damage sustained, we won't offer compensation past treatment of the injured."
"Shamal is upstairs already helping out."
"Oh? Our own medic is working on the captives. Anyway, of the crater you made, we've got terraforming equipment, so you shouldn't bother. What was with that?"
"The giants in the lake."
"Oh. That's everything on your end, I think."
"What about the Observation?"
"Even without your antics, it's pretty bad. It doesn't help that the Ministry seems a little too... xenophobic."
"Oh, no..."
"With a report like this, there won't be another Observation mission on this planet for a lifetime."
"Hmm... I have my own report to add to that. Raising Heart, transfer the record, please."
"Alright." The red jewel glowed.
Nanoha continued. "Inside you will find a report on Hogwarts Castle, which is some form of Lost Logia. The wards here are on par with magical fields that occur in Ancient Belkan artifacts. Also, certain parts such as the Room of Requirement may prove to be dangerous. I hereby request a team be sent to guard over Hogwarts Castle, which is potentially dangerous and the potential target of the known local terrorist group 'Death Eaters'."
Burgess smiled. "You like them, don't you? The wizards I mean."
"This is also my home planet. Other than my own preferences, The Bureau has a lot to gain here. In that report, you will find that half-blood, and muggle-born wizards have the potential to equal Bureau mages, and that there are enough here that would be recruit-able. I am currently considering taking on Harry Potter to have him enlist."
"Harry Potter, from the newspaper? Unwanted by the Ministry, good in a fight, lucky. Definitely Bureau member material."
"Also quick-witted, capable with a broom, and can be inclined to be an Enforcer."
"So... you're going to train him personally? That boy's a goner."
Lee Jordan led the strange newcomers to the boats used to ferry first-years across the lake, as they were the ones designated to fix the crater Nanoha made.
Along with the rest of the students, they were pretty surprised to hear that their former Defense Professor worked in the Air Force... on another planet. However, considering what had happened to them, it made just enough sense. The Bureau had asked to help them in clearing up after the battle, as a favor for Nanoha.
It was soon enough that Lee, Angelina, and a few others were able to coax more information. They had heard enough about the Bureau and mages, but for some reason, when they asked about Nanoha, they were increasingly queer. Apparently Nanoha was a famous mage, an Ace that served by training recruits and special forces (which got them looks of sympathy when they mentioned that Nanoha trained them that year). She was also a maverick that preferred to do things her way, a loose cannon restrained only by her own justice ("No matter what enemy. No matter what ally. Mowing everything down with maximum destructive power. The White Devil of the TSAB."), which was, apparently alright for most Bureau members as long as they didn't have to serve with her. ("Air Force squads usually take some injuries during missions. Nanoha's Air Force squad takes all its injuries beforehand.")
Lee was interested at the crater they were about to find. He wanted to see firsthand the effects of the spell that took down two giants, before the Bureau patched it up (Lee really didn't understand how they could).
Beyond the lake and up into the base of the range, they found a huge, shallow, barren spot that seemed to span almost a mile across. It was larger than the surface of the lake.
"Whoa..." Lee could only stare in amazement. One shot, apparently, could do this much.
The Bureau team started discussing amongst themselves. Lee overheard snatches as he tried to imagine how a spell could remove a mountain.
"Not too bad, won't take too long..."
"She spared us a lot of trouble..."
"...was only a weak Buster..."
Lee Jordan restrained himself from trying to imagine how much worse it might've been.
Dumbledore had just finished explaining everything to Fudge. Finally, after months, he could return to Hogwarts...
His Portkey brought him on the grounds, where several unidentified men (who were in strange uniform) quickly pointed their weapons at him.
"Wait, stand down." Nanoha came round to see the Headmaster, and smiled. "It's Dumbledore."
Dumbledore replied, "And to what do I owe the pleasure of having a team of mages in my school?"
"Death Eaters."
"How bad?"
"A hundred wizards, dozens of Dementors and werewolves, oh and two giants."
Dumbledore frowned. "Did we lose anyone?"
"Thankfully, we didn't. Dumbledore's Army does a lot better than you think. Maybe two dozen were wounded, all fourth year students and above."
"That is a relief. If only we had Aurors at the time..."
"Umbridge sent Auror Squad away after you left." Nanoha's voice was filled with malice. The Bureau took note of this, as they would probably have to separate Nanoha from Umbridge soon.
Dumbledore noticed as well. "What happened?"
"She attacked McGonagall and Hagrid. They're in St. Mungo's."
"Oh dear. Where is Umbridge?"
"She was knocked out before the Death Eaters came. We've got her in the infirmary, but she can't know about the Bureau, or she'll report straight to Fudge. Snape agreed to keep her on a sleeping potion."
"Well then, well handled. You've certainly done better than I had hoped, especially since the castle was attacked. I'm quite sorry for not being here for it."
"Where were you?"
"I was just in the Ministry, where Harry was. If you don't mind, he's in my office right now. You might want to hear of this."