Disclaimer: I own nothing; Harry Potter and the elements of his universe all belong to J.K.Rowling. Firefly/Serenity and the elements of its universe all belong to Joss Whedon. I'm just borrowing the characters to play with for a while. This is for pleasure only, no profit is being made, and no copyright infringement is intended.
CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX – Remember Me?
Mal walked back towards the hospital knowing he had an hour to kill before Inara's group session was going to be over. It was hard to imagine they'd only been here on Miranda for a little over three months. He'd never have believed it possible, if it hadn't happened.
There were several apartment buildings filled with perfectly normal, perhaps a bit too kindly and pleasant former Reavers. The Unification War left a lot of good men with scars that would never heal, and in a twisted way, these folks carry more than their share. And in a lot of ways they were some of the first casualties that jumpstarted the whole thing.
Mal had led men into battle. He'd followed orders he didn't always agree with, and in a few pinches he'd disobeyed them openly. He could forlornly recall talking with a friend one second, only for him to die in his arms moments later. But not even Mal could imagine what he'd do if he woke up from a decade and a half long nightmare with all that blood on his hands. He didn't blame them or hold them responsible but it was hard not to think about what they'd done every time he saw one of them.
It was when they kept coming to Mal for help that he realized just how different they were. These weren't hardened soldiers who could find camaraderie or sympathy in pain. These were victims. Civilians who'd be lost in a fight, they were more doe-eyed and confused than a batch of fresh recruits. Sure a few of them could handle themselves. Those were the ones who signed on to help capture more Reavers. But most of these people were the types who were about as comfortable holding a gun as Jayne was setting his down.
Mal nodded and walked past a small pack of goblins, baring their teeth at him in some sort of smile. Something about their bluntness and abrasiveness meshed real well with Mal while earning the goblins very few friends among the others. The folks of Miranda found the goblins to be helpful, useful, tolerant, and respectful, but you didn't see too many of them making friends. Throw in a little gambling and alcohol though, and it didn't matter if you were covered in scars or brown, wrinkly, and barely four feet tall.
Most people saw the goblins as the things that had dug the mass grave, and they expressed mild gratitude for the giant monument to the losses. But Mal recognized just how much the goblins were contributing: the work repairing and building structures, warding and protecting the area, setting up organizational systems and business practices. And Mal could see how it was going to work just fine. If it had been humans doing what the goblins did, they would have felt underappreciated, just a bad day away from grabbing a gun and opening fire at the office. But the goblins weren't human and they weren't looking for gratitude. They were only looking to get paid. Investing a future where magic was thriving and the interest and returns they got back were not only gold but a dependence on them. It was a lot easier for Mal to understand the goblins than the humans around here and he doubted more magically capable wizards and witches were going to change that.
Mal could almost imagine feeling at home among all these misfits. He just wasn't ready for that yet and he was longing to get back to the sky. He'd made his way back to the hospital and glanced in to see Inara was still in a session.
"Captain Reynolds?"
Mal turned towards the voice and greeted, "Yeah?"
"I thought that might be you," the man smiled and extended his hand to shake. "I'm Sam Rogers."
"Nice to meet you, Sam," Mal replied. He saw the man was a little unsure of himself and asked, "Something I can help you with?"
Sam shook his head. "Sorry. I didn't mean to keep you from anything. I just wanted to introduce myself and could tell you weren't exactly of the wizarding or Reavering type."
Mal nodded and knew Inara could be another half hour still. "How's your recovery coming?"
Sam shrugged. "They tell me it's going good, but having someone in your head is a bit… uncomfortable."
"I can imagine," Mal grinned. "Everything about this place is a bit surreal."
"From what I've seen surreal is pretty ordinary for the wizards," Sam wryly commented and glanced towards where Mal had been looking. "Though Harry tells me not judge them all based off of him."
"Harry?' Mal asked curiously.
Sam nodded. "Harry Potter, he's who was in my head, said he was organizing it for me. Not exactly sure what he did, but I'm noticing a lot more. It's like he's got me thinking quicker or observing things subconsciously."
"You're the cop," Mal stated in realization.
Sam nodded. "I was a Deputy for probably a month before the Pax. Still not sure where to go from here though."
"You're not thinking of leaving, are you?"
Sam shrugged. "Can't leave until they release me, or so I'm told."
"Gonna make a run for it?" Mal inquired with a smirk.
Sam shook his head. "Wouldn't tell the Sheriff if I was."
"Remind me to shoot Harry."
Sam chuckled. "So how are things around here? Considering your reluctant title and Harry's none-too-subtle hinting for me, I'm curious what you can tell me about this place."
"You met any goblins yet?" Mal asked curiously.
Sam shook his head. "I've seen a couple making deliveries and watched them from my window but haven't been introduced."
Mal nodded. "Just curious because right now the goblins outnumber the people around here. It's not gonna stay that way for long though."
"There's that many?" Sam asked in surprise.
"Yup," Mal agreed. "They're the ones doing almost all the work in the background. You ever dealt with a businessman who wasn't nice or friendly, but was very good at his job and you could always count on him for that?"
Sam nodded.
"That's almost all of the goblins," Mal explained. "They can take care of themselves too. The people on the other hand are all spectrums of emotional. Knock 'em out, calm 'em down, and have a doc make sure they're okay. That's it. This Reaver rehab thing won't last forever. But other than that it's just a perfectly normal new planet getting settled and finding its place in the 'verse."
"Right," Sam chuckled. "Perfectly normal."
Mal shrugged. "If one of the magical folk went bad, then you'd have all sorts of problems."
"Me?" Sam smirked. "You're already assigning me the job?"
"You're asking about it, aren't you?"
Sam sighed.
"Don't think too much on it," Mal commented. "This ain't a situation that's ever happened before and there's only so much preparing for the future a man can do."
Sam grinned slightly when he saw Mal unconsciously looking towards the group session while he was talking about the future. He had a feeling Mal didn't realize he was being so obvious. "So why are you desperate to leave here? You're helping a lot of people."
Mal glanced over at him before looking away. "This ain't my life. This ain't me. I've done my part and will help out when I can, but I'm not giving up everything I am to try and save everyone. You folks can save yourselves."
"What about her?" Sam said gesturing towards Inara.
Mal quirked his lips into a tight smile. "I'm taking her with me."
Sam chuckled at how happy he sounded. "She's a Companion, right?"
Mal had to force himself to admit, "Yup."
Sam could tell he touched a nerve. "How soon are you leaving?"
Mal shrugged. "Harry's dead set on gumming up the works a bit right now, but as soon as I can."
"What's Harry doing?"
Mal turned to him. "Not sure that's any of your business."
Sam grinned. "If you're expecting me to be the Sheriff, I'd like to think it is."
"You're taking the job?"
"I got a choice?"
Mal grinned back. "They're informing the Alliance of this little planet's operation."
"Oh," Sam commented and considered. "I guess that's good news."
"Is it?"
"From what I gather they'd find out anyway," Sam explained. "At least this way, they get the truth from the parties involved. That and you're still the Sheriff."
Mal rolled his eyes. "I'm not exactly in their good graces."
"I heard you were a pretty decorated Sergeant in the war," Sam commented.
"Not on their side I wasn't," Mal added.
"Oh…" Sam realized. "They're not the forgive-and-forget type?"
Mal chuckled. "Not to mention we're also the ones who aired their dirty laundry three years ago."
"Hmm?"
"We spread the wave about how the Reavers were created by experimentation that'd been covered up," Mal said. "That didn't sit too well with them."
"And I suppose setting up this place won't be winning over any favors much either."
"I'm hoping Harry will leave our part of it out of his little discussion," Mal added. "But still, all the more reason that it's time for us to go."
The door across from them opened up and a dozen female former Reavers came walking out. Inara was putting her notes and paperwork away into a magically sealed cabinet and came out smiling. "Waiting for me?" she grinned at Mal.
"Thought you might want to grab some dinner," Mal smiled.
"Cafeteria?"
Mal nodded and introduced, "Sam, this here's Inara. Inara, meet Sheriff Rogers."
Sam shook her hand. "I'm still not sure on that particular title."
"Oh?" Mal asked. "You got a choice?"
"Stop it, Mal," Inara scolded and turned to Sam. "Don't listen to him. He gets antsy when he's stuck on the surface this long."
"No, Ma'am," Sam grinned. "He's probably right."
"There's a first," Inara snickered ignoring Mal's mocking look of hurt.
"I used to be a Deputy on Miranda, and Harry's been rushing through my mind healing," Sam explained.
"Really?" Inara grinned. "Care to join us for some dinner?"
"I wouldn't want to intrude," Sam said looking at Mal intently.
"Come on, Sam," Mal grinned. "It's the least we can do for the new Sheriff."
Sam agreed when he saw Mal wasn't bothered by the invitation and followed them back towards the cafeteria. He was following them away from the normal line before they disappeared from sight, leaving Sam standing there in confusion.
"Whoops," Mal reappeared. "Close your eyes and I'll pull you in here."
Sam realized there was an invisible door and let Mal lead him in. He kept following Mal as they continued to walk, in what was beginning to seem like circles. "Can I open them yet?"
"Stop it Mal!" Inara snickered.
Mal let go of his hand and sat down. "Nope, not yet."
Sam opened his eyes knowing he was being mocked.
"Just wanted to see how long you'd keep them closed for." Mal grinned.
Sam saw they were in a break room of sorts with a couple of mini-fridges and a large table in the middle. "I guess we're not eating in the cafeteria?"
"Just a hidden side door," Inara explained. "Kitchen's through there and we can get anything you want made fresh."
"Too good to dine with the common folk?" Sam asked, making it clear he was simply teasing.
"Nothin' like that," Mal said, bending down to a mini-fridge. "Just can't allow alcohol in the public areas of the hospital. You want a beer?"
"Yeah," Sam agreed immediately. "Please."
"He's still healing," Inara scolded briefly.
"It's one beer," Mal assured her, handing cold longnecks to both of them. "And he had Harry in his head for four hours earlier."
Inara winced and wasn't really all that concerned in the first place. "Fair enough. Where is Harry about anyways?"
"You don't wanna know," Mal grumbled and stuck his head through the kitchen door. "Whatcha want, Sam?"
Sam was hungry and tired of the fruits and veggies, but didn't want to freak them out. "What're you guys having?"
"Chicken pasta salad," Inara said. "Ray-ray's working and he makes it best."
"Burger and fries for me," Mal commented. "And after having Harry in your head like that, I'm sure you're fine for meat, if that's what you're worried about."
Sam nodded grateful he didn't have to explain himself, realizing how different he was from these two. "I'll try the chicken pasta salad, I think. Don't feel up to tempting fate right now."
Mal nodded and yelled back into the kitchens their orders.
Sam sat quietly watching the two lovesick puppies forget his presence for a moment. It barely took three minutes before a man with some serious scarring on his forehead came in carrying their meals.
"I'm starving," Inara said eyeing her food hungrily.
She dug in with gusto, while Mal grinned at Sam. "Eat up."
"Sweet Merlin," Jane called out as she entered the room. "My feet are killing me."
Jayne was following dutifully behind her. "Want me to shoot them?"
"Will you stop offering to shoot things?" Jane snapped irritably. She only now noticed the others already in the back room. "Sam? What're you doing here? Is that a beer? And chicken? What're you think you're…" She stopped and shrugged. "Meh. I don't even have it in me."
Sam had been worried for a moment, smiled and grinned. "Nurse Conrad," he greeted before taking another bite of his salad.
"Burger?" Jayne said succinctly.
"Burger," Jane answered back.
Jayne placed their orders, while Jane asked, "So what does bring you back here, Sam?"
"We were just inviting the new Sheriff to join us for a meal," Mal grinned.
"That was quick," Jane commented looking at Sam.
"Does that mean we're leaving soon?" Jayne looked up hopefully.
"Depends on when Harry gets back," Mal grumbled. "And what he has to say."
"Where'd he go?" Inara asked.
Mal was munching on his fries. "Remember that horrible idea we were trying to talk him out of?"
"The Alliance?" Jayne asked skeptically.
Mal nodded. "Yup. I figure we got a few hours before they mobilize to destroy the planet."
"Don't be so dramatic," Inara scolded. "Just because you don't understand it, doesn't mean it's a horrible idea."
"Oh I understand it," Mal admitted. "It just doesn't make any sense to me."
Jane shook her head. "The wizarding world and muggle worlds can work great together. And we will need the government's help to keep things secret from the rest of the populace."
"How can you trust them?" Mal asked. "What makes you so sure they're not just going to try and destroy you all, before your numbers grow?"
"We don't trust them," Jane insisted as their burgers arrived and Jayne handed her a beer. "But our risks are magnified if we were to try and keep it all a secret. And if they tried to destroy us… well, we'd fight back."
"And you'd lose," Mal snapped.
Jane shrugged. "We've got a home worth protecting now, and we've got over a thousand goblins who want to protect it just as much. To be honest, the lower numbers are completely irrelevant compared to the unknown quantity of magic. We couldn't match their firepower, but a single invisible man could easily completely control the free will of Generals and Parliamentary leaders."
"Harry knows what he's doing," Jayne announced sharing the extent of his opinion on the matter. He saw a few frowns and snickers from the others at the table. "Doesn't he?"
"This better be good," the blonde man grumbled to himself. He was the last one to arrive at the conference room. The recognized and publicly known leaders of the Parliament were interspersed among a few other men, whose identities were unknown to all but a select few. It had been almost three years ago that this many were all assembled and even then their memories were a bit hazy on remembering why.
"I don't appreciate emergency calls for session at 1:30 in the morning," Grunner announced entering the room. The doors swung shut behind him as he saw a couple dozen other people standing around the room looking just as irritated as him.
"Neither do I," a short stout man snapped back at Grunner. "So tell us why the hell you called us here and maybe we can leave quicker."
"Me?" Grunner looked at them all in confusion. "I certainly didn't initiate this meeting."
A few of them were glancing around at each other uneasily.
"It came from your private line," one man pointed out. "So if it wasn't you, who was it?"
In a corner no one noticed, a firm voice spoke up. "That would be me."
Every head swung around to stare at the older gentlemen hiding behind no glamour charm, wearing a suit as fine as any of their own.
"Who are you?"
Harry smiled slightly and dangerously. He briefly cracked his knuckles and explained, "Today, who I am is not nearly as important as what I am."
Warning bells were ringing in their heads but no one wanted to show weakness in front of any of the others. A brave voice smarmily asked, "And what are you?"
Harry held his arms behind his back and sauntered his way around the assembled group. "You can stop hitting your panic buttons and emergency signals. They're not getting out. I can promise you that."
More than a few of them were feeling extremely nervous now.
Fullerton was standing back under an invisibility cloak. He was watching the confidence and ease Harry had and felt like he was watching a Dark Lord manipulating his pawns. He had to admit he'd be tempted to accept Harry's mark himself.
"This may take a little while too," Harry said calmly, like a predator stalking his prey. "So why don't you all…" With a simple motion of bringing his hands together, every man in the room was slid into place. Previously they had been assembled around all sides of the large table, some standing, some seated. But suddenly their reality had shifted, and they all found themselves sitting neatly in two rows, like a class facing their lecturer. They weren't sure when, but the lights in the room had dimmed, leaving a gentle spotlight on Harry, ensuring their eyes were focused exclusively on him.
Cries of fear and confusion began pouring out, while a few of the more sedate figures merely observed Harry and pretended like they weren't rattled in the slightest.
"Do be quiet, please," Harry stated in a clear order, having yet to raise his voice. "I can assure you, I have absolutely no intention of hurting any of you." They calmed momentarily to look at him, while he allowed a small smirk to play on his lips. "Mind you, those are only my intentions. Not promises."
Harry shifted his weight slightly from his right foot to his left. "And just for the sake of making things easier, let's break a few mental blocks." Harry stuck both of his hands palm out at the assembled group of men and clenched them into fists as though he was crunching something up.
Fullerton could tell this was almost entirely for show, but the misdirection and ease with which the magic was responding impressed him. He felt no shame in admitting Harry Potter was a wizard without equal, even if Harry thought it was just the role he was playing.
All around the room, the various men felt memories flooding into their heads. Actions from the past three years they had been unable to remember came to the forefronts of their minds. With the memory charms broken, they began to tremble at the power of the word obliviate.
"Oh my god…"
"Wizard!"
"What's happening?"
And the blonde man known as Grunner, who'd previously been masking his fear and uncertainty of the situation was now shivering in fright. "You… you're…"
The man sitting next to him finished his statement while wondering what in the universe they had unleashed. "Harry Potter."
Harry grinned back at them. "I'm glad to see I've not been forgotten." His words were cutting straight to their own weaknesses and vulnerabilities at the fact that he had been forgotten, but only because he had chosen to be.
One of the more spry men couldn't take it and leapt from the chair he'd been unaware he was sitting in. He sprinted for the door, squealing without an ounce of composure.
"Sit." Harry swept his finger in front of him directing the man who was thrust backwards across the ground and landed right back in his seat. "Calm." Harry called out flicking that same index finger straight at the man. It was like a switch had been flipped and the terrified man was instantly replaced with a relaxed and obediently watching eager student.
The other men all stifled gasps at the sight, unable to deny the veracity of all they'd seen and now remembered.
Fullerton was grateful for his silencing charm and was impressed at how Harry could mislead them into thinking his finger's motions or words had anything to do with the magic being cast on them.
"I am Harry Potter," he began softly once he had everyone's undivided attention. He made no movement or sound as his suit seemed to dissolve into the ether, revealing some of the finest and strongest battle robes ever created. "And I am a… wizard." He stood there enjoying the silence with a knowing smile and resisted the urge to call up some wind to make his image even more imposing. He was thinking he'd save the wind for later.
"I thought you were a wizard hero," one of the more collected men called out.
Harry chuckled lightly, well aware of the effect the sound of his laughter had on them. "Hero is such a subjective word. One man's hero is another man's villain. And if I am a hero, then it is likely as you said, that I am a hero… to wizards."
They all were exchanging uneasy looks at the thought of others like him.
"But my personal power and capabilities are not to be the focus tonight," Harry continued. "I merely wish to demonstrate that when I speak of wizardry and magic, these are not simply parlor tricks." He had prepared a number of spells and illusions, weaving the magic around him subtly, triggering and releasing it as needed.
Suddenly stepping out from the darkness, there appeared a second identical Harry Potter. He added, "Magic is a beautiful and amazing force capable of things far beyond our understanding or even imagination."
A third Harry Potter stepped out on the other side of Harry, and it continued. "It can be used to smite the evil in the world or to save and help the sick and needy."
Another Harry Potter appeared at the side of them. "I've studied magic for well over a century and a half, and the one thing I am most certain of is that I've only scratched the surface."
On the other side another Harry Potter continued, "Were it possible to… banish me, it wouldn't ever affect the truth that you must accept."
"To fight Magic would be like fighting Life itself," more Harry Potters began appearing and the room was beginning to fill. "But like Life we should strive to unravel its mysteries, respect its dangers, and cherish it for fear of its absence."
"Magic is," another Harry Potter appeared, "and always will be."
"And I am just one man," the first original Harry said with a grin and in the blink of an eye, he was the only one there in the room.
Fullerton saw the effect on the others and realized that they were even more impressed than he was. When Harry told him that illusions were something of a specialty of his, Fullerton was eager to see just what he had in mind.
"I come here in a gesture of good will, to be open and honest about the truth of Miranda. Both about what you've done…" Harry paused knowing they were hanging on his every word. "And what I've been doing."
"In the spirit of honesty, I should explain that I know a fair amount about all of you," Harry stuck his hand through the fake wall blocking the series of video displays they'd prepped. He pulled on the wall, as if it were cloth and tugged the entire thing away into a tiny black ball revealing five rows of five screens each. He flicked his fingers up and let it explode into a tiny shower of colored lights.
"I'm not here to judge you," Harry explained as the twenty five displays behind him came to life. Each one was showing personal highly classified information on all of them. Video clips of them in places they shouldn't be, tender moments of their friends and families, information and photos of both public and private documents.
Each and every man was staring at their own screens, frightful that anyone had access to all these things. Images were flashing and cascading around in a display that left them all silent. Spiraling in towards the center, the movies of their lives stopped playing, leaving no names, only their Social Control Numbers displayed brightly on the screen.
Harry's smile dropped and an imposing demeanor replaced it. "Nor should you come away from tonight believing me to be naïve."
"What is that you want?" Grunner found himself asking when it seemed no one else was going to speak up.
"For us to reach an agreement and understanding," Harry answered honestly. He lifted a hand to stall their interruption. "But first you need to know more."
The screens behind him flickered again and the group of all screens acted as one.
"I was born in the twentieth century," Harry began, "and killed my first demon before the turn of the millennium. I lived throughout the twenty-first century and saw the magical and non-magical worlds co-existing in peace, if not harmony."
Images of the Earth-That-Was in all its glory were visible, both magical and non-magical. Large groups and crowds of wizards were interspersed with those of muggle sporting events, showing how similar they were. The men were all staring at the screens, some still resistant to the idea that the magical world was so real and vast.
"The leaders of the non-magical world were all aware of the magical world," Harry continued as videos of Harry meeting with Kings and Presidents played. "And they assisted the magical world in keeping the secret of its existence from the general population. Occasionally the two worlds looked to each other for help when situations became dire but it was more tolerance of each other than anything nearing true understanding and cooperation."
The video continued to play, showing stock footage of the planet as people left in the giant ships. "As you know the planet Earth rapidly became uninhabitable," Harry continued and paused as a computer generated recreation showed the oceans boiling away and earth's crust melting. Suddenly the animations gave way to stark, eerie video. "This is what it looks like today."
A few of the men gave each other nervous glances, knowing the truth that this was exactly what the Earth-That-Was looked like, only it appeared there was far more footage and detail in this video.
"It saddens me to see what she has become in my absence," Harry continued sadly, leaving it to them to infer the possibility that he could have saved or protected the planet. "We have begun trying to restore and save her, but it is a long and arduous process. One I would like to ask for your assistance with, as well, if you're willing." Harry was inwardly smiling and shook his head as though fixing the Earth was just a small hobby of his. "But I'm getting sidetracked here."
"The problem arose when terraforming all the original post-Earth planets, no one bothered to discover that they were all lacking in magic. This was the downfall of the wizarding world." Harry sighed. "And that is the reason none of you had ever heard of magic before. For all intents and purposes, there weren't any wizards or magical creatures around for centuries…" Harry grinned and let the words drip out of his mouth, "until you called upon me, as I believe Mr. Stalworth so eloquently put it."
The others all looked at him and Grunner knowing very well that it was those two who'd started this situation.
"Don't blame them," Harry waved them off. "This situation was beyond the control of all but Fate and Destiny. An inevitable sequence of events was triggered in 2506 when your scientists tried to play God with the human spirit on the planet Miranda. You crossed a line that no mortal should ever approach. Life responded and Magic… woke up."
Fullerton was snickering inside his silencing charm as he saw these men had little choice but to believe all that they were being told.
"Whether you accept there are powers and forces stronger than those of man matters little. It has no bearing on the situation you are now presented with. I've come to tell you, Miranda is the new home of the wizarding world." Harry had stopped and was leaning forward with his arms on the table, as if daring any of them to challenge him.
"Steps have been taken to ensure the wizarding world will never disappear again," Harry continued as leaned back and seemed to tower over the men before him.
"We're not going to stand for this!" The man known as Jenkins blurted out, unable to contain his fear at such a loss of control.
Harry tilted his head and looked at him like a small annoyance.
"We'll hunt every last one-"
Harry snapped his fingers and snarled at Jenkins, vanishing his mouth. "I asked you nicely to be quiet. To destroy the wizarding world would be to destroy your own civilization. Your future successes and failures are tied together in ways beyond your understanding."
Harry smirked as Jenkins was turning red and clawing at his own face. "Breathe through your nose and relax." Harry ignored his struggles and continued when he saw no one else was paying the mouthless man any attention. "As I was saying, I come here offering the first gesture of the wizarding world's good will."
Harry stopped his pacing and turned to them. "Your foolish ambition caused the genocide of thirty million people and the creation of the monsters known as Reavers. Your solution to this problem was to let the Reavers continue to destroy villages on the outer rim and just wait for them to die. Millions more would die because you found no solution that would reflect well on your public image."
Harry stared them down seriously and stated, "The wizarding world has assumed responsibility for your problem. They are curing the Reavers as we speak, saving not only the victims of your drug themselves, but also the countless future victims of the Reavers uncontrolled actions."
Harry stood there and waited for them to say something. He wasn't going to continue until one of them asked.
They were exchanging looks, uncomfortable in the silence. Finally, Stalworth asked, "You're… curing the Reavers?"
Harry nodded simply. "Nearly a thousand have been captured so far with a rehabilitation rate of almost ninety percent. Not all of them can be saved, but ending their misery is preferable to leaving them to continue their vile acts."
"You're serious?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
Harry looked at him as though he was scolding a naughty child. "Because the wizarding world and non-magical world can make each other better. The wizarding world is here extending you this olive branch, hoping you're wise enough and willing to accept it."
"And if we don't?"
Harry turned to them and let the lights dim, letting the corners of his mouth turn up in a downright vicious grin. He let his eyes glow red and flicker like flames, while his hair and cloak rippled in a magical wind. His voice dropped an octave and he added a reverberating echo to make his words stand out even more. "Then you'd be well on your way to making an enemy of the wizarding world. And no Gods on Mount Olympus would save you this time."
Harry was slowly floating off the ground with his arms extended, staring them all down, as balls of crackling green energy began to pool in his hands. Lights began arcing from the monitors like flashes of lightning striking Harry. With each hit, his eyes would glow and the green balls of energy in his hand grew brighter.
Suddenly as quick as it started, it had ended. The ambient lighting returned to its slightly dim level, Harry was back on the ground, and there was no wind in the room. Harry was mesmerized looking at the green energy remaining in his hand as he slowly molded it into a seed. It started small, sprouting a sapling, and then it quickly grew into an olive branch like life being created there in his hand. Harry swirled his hand and let the branch slowly float to the middle of their table. He cast a protection and sticking charm on it ensuring it couldn't ever be removed.
"Suffice it to say, wizards will make better allies than enemies," Harry answered completely unconcerned with his dramatic demonstration.
The men remained silent, not a single one thinking any of them had any measure of control in this situation at all. A few exchanged uneasy looks, while others steadfastly refused to even look at the other men in the room.
"You're not giving us much of a choice here," Stalworth commented.
Harry smiled and could tell he was the most willingly accepting of the situation, not the reluctant or confrontational attitude he was displaying. "You always have a choice. That's what makes you human. Trying to take that choice away from the people on Miranda was what brought us here."
Stalworth saw the others were all sufficiently speechless and fearful for the lives at the moment. "I think we're beginning to understand, though I'm still not clear on what sort of agreement you're looking for."
Harry's eyes were twinkling after a Legilimency sweep of the room, knowing he'd already convinced a few people to his side. "I want the wizarding world and non-magical world to co-exist. I think it's in both of your best interests to maintain the secrecy of magic, and I would like the leaders of both worlds to be willing to hear each other out at the very least."
"You pulled us here in the middle of the night and forced us to hear you out," Stalworth said. "How would our saying yes or no change that from happening again?"
Harry shook his head. "I'm here because I'm your connection. I'm the catalyst you brought into being and I'm here informing you of what is happening, appealing to your sensibilities in the hope that you will accept their help, ask for it when you need it, and offer your own in return."
Harry smiled slightly and shook his head. "But I'm not a leader of the wizarding world. Leaders inspire followers. I inspire sycophancy. Consider me the reluctant mediator between the two worlds in case problems arise."
"So what now?" Grunner grumbled. "What's it going to take for you to leave so that we can go to bed?"
"Now," Harry stated after glaring at him briefly. "Now, if I may be so bold, I would like to see you appoint an official Magical Liaison who can represent the Alliance's interests to the wizarding world, and whose job it is to keep the Alliance aware of the wizarding world's interests."
"I'm guessing you have a wizard in mind you want us to hire?" Stalworth suggested.
"No," Harry shook his head. "A wizard would represent the wizarding world's interests more than your own. But I do have someone in mind, someone who has wronged me personally and who does in fact, work for you."
Stalworth glanced over at Grunner and smiled knowing who he had in mind. "Really? Him?"
Harry nodded. "Is that acceptable?"
Stalworth merely glanced at Grunner and saw no one else was objecting. He nodded silently at Harry.
Harry smiled back letting Fullerton trigger the next action.
The conference room door swung open and a frazzled, wide-eyed Antonio Weatherby hurried into the room. "Sir! I received your message and got here as soon as I could."
Grunner glanced at the others while Harry was just standing there indifferent. "When did you get my message?"
"Just," Antonio glanced at his watch. "Thirteen and half minutes ago. Is everything alright?"
Grunner just gestured towards Harry.
Antonio spun around and spotted the apparent presenter at this curiously late meeting, mentally reviewing his part in this play. Antonio glanced from Harry back towards all the others assembled in rows watching him. He saw no one was speaking up and asked Harry, "Do I know you?"
Just as they'd planned, Harry stuck his palm out and clenched it into a fist, pretending he was removing a memory charm from Antonio like he had the others.
Antonio shook his head a bit before glancing back up at Harry. His eyes went wide in fright before he shrieked femininely and ran from the room.
Harry was fighting a smile as he magically pulled him back into the room. He dropped all pretense of amusement and looked angrily at him. "Antonio Weatherby! I trusted your family and by extension you. You've wronged me and I am calling upon you to repay that debt."
"I don't wanna die," Antonio whined, inwardly thinking this was too much fun.
"While potentially amusing," Harry smirked, "your death would serve no purpose. I am asking you to restore yourself and your family to a place of honor among the wizarding world and the non-magical world."
"There's a wizarding world? But… I mean… what…"
"Get a hold of yourself, Weatherby," Grunner snapped in irritation. "You're getting a promotion and it is going to be officially classified."
Antonio took the opportunity to move closer towards the men on the other side of the room and further away from Harry. "Yes sir. Thank you, sir." He kept warily stealing looks at Harry. "Umm… what kind of promotion?"
"Ask him," Grunner said pointing at Harry.
Harry stared at Grunner condescendingly, waiting until the blonde man looked away in meek submission. Harry turned to Antonio, "You are going to be the non-magical Liaison to the wizarding world."
Antonio whimpered and inched closer to the other men.
"You are responsible for keeping the leaders of the non-magical world abreast of the current events of the wizarding world. When they have questions or inquiries about the wizarding world, they are to go through you. Just the same as when wizards have questions about the non-magical world they will come to you first. This is an opportunity to make a difference."
Antonio looked at the other men hopelessly and asked, "Do I have to?"
"Yes," Stalworth spoke up immediately. "The best place for you to serve your government is in this position."
"Okay," Antonio meekly agreed. He seemed to be willing to look everywhere but Harry. He stood there in the silence. The other men were just waiting silently watching Harry.
Harry sighed tiredly looking at all the looks he was receiving. "I apologize. I can see I've made many of you uncomfortable, so I think perhaps I should go. Before I do, allow me an introduction." Harry swung his arm in a circle creating a large floating ring of fire. He whipped his fingers across the so-called portal and the center of the ring flickered into a bright white light. Harry stepped through the imaginary portal, when in truth he was merely turning himself invisible. Inside the silenced area, he made sure Fullerton was ready and they magically 'appeared' coming out from the flaming portal.
Harry had yet to raise his voice and appeared as calm as ever. He waved his hand and the giant flaming portal shrunk in size until it had completely disappeared. "Gentlemen," Harry began. "I'd like you to meet former Headmaster Dr. Harry Fullerton. Until the wizarding world has a more formal established government, he is the recognized leader and figurehead for the wizards of Miranda."
Fullerton's eyes widened and turned to Harry. "You've… told them?"
Harry nodded. "It is time."
Fullerton turned to all the other men and smiled slightly. "Hello."
Harry pointed towards Antonio, "Antonio Weatherby. He is going to be your contact and the Alliance's Magical Liaison Ambassador of sorts."
"Antonio Weatherby? As in the one who…"
Harry nodded.
Fullerton grinned and walked up to Antonio, extending his hand to shake. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Antonio. I was a friend of some of your ancestors."
Antonio shook the calm, normal man's hand and just smiled weakly. "Dr. Fullerton."
Fullerton turned to Harry and asked, "So what are we doing here? It's kinda late, in case you didn't notice."
Harry grinned and explained. "I've been briefing them on the current state of the wizarding world, but I fear my presence is making them more uncomfortable than helpful."
"Ahh," Fullerton understood.
"These are the various leaders of certain unnamed agencies, as well as the Parliament," Harry continued.
"How do you do," Fullerton said with a courteous bow of his head.
"I'll leave you all to discuss the details," Harry said nodding towards the eerily silent men. "Joint work on repairing the Earth-That-Was, perhaps details of the Reaver situation and how to ensure nothing like it ever happens again, and specifically – this is non-negotiable – the complete abandonment and dissolution of Operation E-271."
"What's Operation E-271?" Antonio asked curiously.
Harry nodded towards a thus-far silent man standing near the back. "Mr. Bauer?"
The man saw everyone turn to him. He carefully answered, "I'm not sure I can recall-"
"Mr. Bauer," Harry interrupted impatiently, making it quite clear he knew he was lying.
A slight twitch of his jaw was the only sign of his discomfort. He spoke up, "Operation E-271 was our plan to destroy Miranda."
"You built the bomb to do it," Harry added.
Bauer gulped slightly at how well informed Harry obviously was. "Like you said," Mr. Bauer argued. "Just wanted to ensure nothing like that ever happens again."
Harry nodded silently. "I thank you for your time."
"Wait," Stalworth called out, surprising many of the others eager for Harry to leave. "How can we contact you, if we need to?"
"If you need to contact me, I'll know. But I'm not at your beck and call." Harry turned to Fullerton and smirked. "Watch out for Stalworth. He can smile when he lies with unnatural ease." Harry saw Stalworth was smiling unabashedly at him. He just stared and looked at all the men still sitting in the room. He let the silence hang for a moment when another arc of lightning jumped from the viewing screens behind him, striking Harry, as he disappeared from view.
The man known as Jenkins was relieved to suddenly have his mouth back and let out a loud sigh.
Harry decided to add in one last overly dramatic gesture, letting only his voice echo around the room as he bid them, "Good night." He was rewarded by an obvious twitch from Jenkins.
"Bugger," Fullerton said to no one in particular.
"Something the matter?" Stalworth asked watching the other wizard curiously.
Fullerton shook his head. "Just means I've got a long ride back to Miranda."
"So there are limits to magic?" Grunner asked curiously, sensing this wizard was more controllable.
Fullerton nodded. "There are definitely limits to what wizards are capable of and interplanetary travel is not something I'm in the mood to experiment with."
"Isn't that how you arrived?" Another man curiously asked.
"Harry brought me here. It was nothing I did," Fullerton was inwardly proud of Harry's little take on good cop-bad cop that they'd affectionately named good wizard-vengeful god. "You want to come with me, Antonio? I'll show you around Miranda. When we get there, if you want, Harry's got a portal for instantaneous travel to Earth-That-Was."
Antonio turned to Grunner. "Sir?"
Grunner got up and walked with Antonio. He turned to Fullerton and assured him, "Yes, he'll go with you. I just want to brief him on procedures."
Fullerton simply nodded, inwardly rolling his eyes at the idea they have procedures in place for a situation like this. He watched as Grunner and Antonio walked out the door and down the hall.
"Question," Stalworth asked. "You said you knew Antonio's ancestors?"
Fullerton nodded. "Yes. I'm not sure what branch of the family he's from, but several of the Weasleys were friends and confidants of mine."
"How… are you still alive?"
Fullerton chuckled. "I'm not ashamed of my age, if you were reluctant to ask. I haven't yet celebrated my 170th birthday, but it is less than two months away. I came over on one of the magically exclusive metroships entitled the Godric-8. I believe you can check the manifest and verify this."
Fullerton glanced towards the door wondering how long Antonio's mini-briefing was going to take. "What you wouldn't be able to verify is that in 2266, I and several dozen others of the last generation of wizards disappeared. That was so that we can restart the wizarding world. We'll provide you with a complete census, if you like."
"Harry Potter… did that?"
Fullerton shrugged. "He is Harry Potter."
"What do you mean?" Stalworth asked curiously. "I thought he was just another wizard."
"Just another wizard," Fullerton chuckled. "Well, he was definitely born a wizard, I'll give you that."
"He told us he was a wizard," one of the men stated. "Was he lying?"
Fullerton opened his mouth and then closed it. He was enjoying this far more than he should have been. Remembering the rough plan, he figured a little fabrication mixed with truth would work well here. "Wizards have a certain amount of internal magic in them, much the same way all humans, wizard or not, have life in them. Some wizards have more magic than others, and that's what allows them to cast more powerful spells. But in a few cases throughout history, there have been people who actually have more magic in them than life. Harry's one of those people. The last one before him was millennia ago."
"What does that mean?" Stalworth asked curiously. "Having more magic than life?"
Fullerton winced and was scratching the back of his neck, acting like he was revealing more than he should. "When life is extinguished in him, he still has magic remaining. And magic is considered one of the building blocks to creating life. That's why the Earth-That-Was, a magical planet, was capable of creating life as we know it. Having magic left after his life is gone means life comes back on its own from the magic remaining… basically Harry can only die, if he chooses to."
"You honestly expect us to believe he's immortal?"
Fullerton shrugged. "His secret kinda came out of the bag when he was at ground zero of the Empty-A Bomb in London in 2055. But yeah, as far as the wizarding world is concerned, Harry Potter was born a wizard… and became a God."
The questions came to abrupt end as they just stared at Fullerton in silence.
"I'm all set," Antonio announced as he came back in carrying a new briefcase proudly.
"Excellent," Fullerton agreed. "Would you like to get a few changes of clothes?"
Antonio nodded. "Please." He noticed everyone else was looking far more uncomfortable than when he'd left.
Fullerton looked at Antonio and asked, "Do you live on this planet?"
Antonio nodded well aware Fullerton already knew the answer.
Fullerton looked into Antonio's eyes. "I'm going to get the location from your mind." Fullerton blinked at him. "Got it. Ready?"
"Umm… okay," Antonio agreed unsure how to act calmly and pretend a wizard had been gentle in his mind.
"It was nice meeting you all," Fullerton smiled and waved. "I hope our worlds can work together with each other." He placed a hand on Antonio's shoulder and apparated the pair of them away.
After a quick stop at Antonio's apartment to pick up clothes and check-in with Mr. Universe through Antonio's security system, the pair apparated right back onto the bridge of Frank.
"When Sanders jumped up and began squealing like a girl, I didn't think I could take it," Harry was regaling Algernon and River with many of the meeting's details. "And the way Jenkins was twitching… priceless."
"Everything okay?" Algernon asked seeing Fullerton and Antonio had returned.
"Yup," Fullerton answered. "I've got a silencing charm around the briefcase until we can add in some magical interference. I think there's a trace of some sort too. How'd your scans go?"
Harry smiled and nodded. "They all seemed reluctantly receptive of the idea. And I made sure Bauer in particular is going to take care of erasing all records of the Operation E-271. He didn't want to show it but he's insistent and eager on making sure nothing happens to Miranda."
"Really?" River asked curiously.
Harry nodded. "It's because he wants to study more about magic but still."
"Excellent," Fullerton agreed. "I think we actually got through to all of them."
There were two reasons for an emergency call to the Assistant Director of Alliance Security. And they both were because new information has come to light. Most often it was when time-critical information came in that needed to be acted on and responded to immediately. As soon as he arrived in those situations, his boss would greet him, 'Jack, it's urgent.' The other reason was not because they feared the timeliness, but because the rules and priorities of their game were changing.
That's why Assistant Director Jack Smith was so surprised to arrive in the office, see his boss Director John Bauer look up quickly and announce, "Jack, it's important."
Jack saw John was already nursing some of his brandy, and he helped himself to a glass. Jack settled down in the chair opposite and looked alert. "I'm listening."
"First thing, E-271 is not being buried, it's being completely unmade."
Jack's eyebrows rose in surprise. "And the pieces?"
"Doesn't matter," Bauer answered. "You take care of it."
Jack nodded.
"Next, we've got some important names and dates that I want to know everything about."
"How hot and recent?"
Bauer chuckled. "Cold and ancient. Earth-That-Was. I want to know about an Empty-A Bomb that went off in London in 2055. I want to know about any disappearances in 2266. One name that's been confirmed to have disappeared then is Dr. Harry Fullerton. I think he may have been a former Headmaster of a school."
Jack began to choke on his drink while he listened to his boss.
"He supposedly rode over on the Godric-8 metroship. I want to know every name on that list and any other ships that seem similar. Anyone and anything you can find with any sort of reference to Harry Fullerton. I think he was born around 2097 or 2098."
Jack swallowed the brandy in his mouth. "He was 169 when he disappeared?"
Bauer nodded. "And the other name may be listed as the soul survivor of the A-Bomb, Harry Potter born in the late twentieth century. Anything and everything you can find on him too."
Jack was beginning to feel very nervous. "A survivor of an A-Bomb? I thought all the big bombs you're either far enough away or you aren't."
"Intelligence points to him being at ground zero," Bauer said sitting back still undecided if the evening's revelations were a good or bad thing.
"How…" Jack asked in confusion. "How is that possible?"
"All of this is classified at the highest level," Bauer said seriously. "But the short of it is that… there's a world of magic and Miranda is their new home."
Jack slammed back the rest of his brandy and set the glass down. Thoughts were running rampant in his head, and at the forefront of his mind was that perhaps he had been a bit too hasty in forcefully checking his niece Stephanie into the Matthias Institute.
She hadn't been crazy. These wizard demons were obviously real. Harry Fullerton was obviously very real. John Rodriguez and Freddie Jugson had clearly been compromised. And now it sounded like his boss and probably many others had also been compromised.
Jack Smith's face tightened and he nodded to his Director. "I'll take care of it."