Hogwarts/Hogsmeade
December 15, 2006
Five days after their day-long interrogation, the Corps was ready to implement its plan to liberate the Death Eater territory. Though, as Draco was reminded repeatedly, 'no plan survives contact with the enemy.'
"That's why we have a clear and coherent strategy we're all aligned on," Hermione had explained.
Draco still didn't get it, but found that he had come to trust those in charge to know what they were talking about. He sat in a magical tent that had been converted into a mobile command center outside of the Hogsmeade wards; it bustled with activity as the Corps Officers monitored the situation in Hogsmeade and prepared to engage the enemy.
"I feel useless." Draco frowned at Hermione.
She shrugged. "It's kind of nice, isn't it?"
He mumbled a "mm-hmm" under his breath and looked around the tent, noticing Albus Dumbledore, the wizard who returned from self-imposed exile, sitting with his head down. In a room full of military garb, the man stuck out with his lavender robes and long grey hair.
Dumbledore had been surprised when he learned the truth about the prophecy, and it was only then that he truly came to accept that this world that they lived in was the world they had to save.
"It's time!" Moody's voice boomed magically throughout the tent, and everyone immediately burst into action.
Dumbledore Apparated directly into Hogsmeade, blinking as he adjusted to the desolate conditions of the once bustling town. There was no one around, a fact Dumbledore found rather curious as he trekked calmly to Hogwarts.
He made his way to the front of the school, not particularly surprised to see Voldemort waiting for him. The man wore a predatory sneer and waved his hand, summoning about 20 uniformed Death Eaters to surround them.
"Tom," Dumbledore acknowledged politely, as if perhaps they were meeting for a pint.
"Dumbledore," Voldemort hissed, his Yew wand firmly gripped in his right hand. "I must admit, I did not expect to see you here."
Dumbledore nodded sagely. "After you frightened the girl, she came to me."
"She is nothing," Voldemort argued.
"Hmm." Dumbledore frowned. "But I believe she is everything, in the end. She is, after all, the chosen one."
"You put too much faith in prophecy, old man," Voldemort stated hypocritically. "And if you have such 'faith' in your 'chosen one,' then where is she?"
"I'm right here," a voice called out. Voldemort narrowed his eyes at the sudden appearance of Hermione Granger at Dumbledore's side.
Voldemort made a hissing noise and aimed a spell at Hermione, only for it to be blocked by Dumbledore. Hermione threw up a hand signal and hurled a flash grenade, which immediately incapacitated the surrounding Death Eaters, though it had no impact on Voldemort himself.
He looked at her disdainfully. "You use Muggle weapons; have you no honor?"
"Really? You think you behave honorably?" She rolled her eyes and moved into a fighting stance. "I believe in winning."
The fight began in earnest; with the Death Eaters passed out on the ground, the battle was effectively two against one. Hermione and Dumbledore were kept mostly on the defensive, blocking Voldemort's dark curses and dodging Avada Kedavras. Voldemort's attacks became angrier and more furious, his mastery of dueling easily a match for two people who hadn't been training for this moment all their lives.
That was when they heard the helicopters above them.
Hermione suddenly changed, revealing herself to be Nymphadora Tonks. "What is – this?" Voldemort asked, continuing to wordlessly strike.
"Ah – it seems you have broken WEA law Tom. They have come to arrest you," Dumbledore informed him calmly, his shield holding.
"But Muggles can't see Hogwarts!"
Dumbledore shook his head. "Tom, there is much about magic you don't understand."
30 minutes earlier
Hermione and Draco apparated into Hogsmeade at the same time as Dumbledore and Tonks, knowing the older man's presence would distract Voldemort.
The pair immediately disillusioned themselves and climbed atop a Corps-issued broom; it wasn't as nice as Draco's, but it was functional. They made their way to Hogwarts, easily finding the seventh floor corridor, and entered the Room of Requirement. It was now just a small room with a square lit up in the center.
Hermione stepped on it and immediately felt the familiar primal magic sweep through her. She warned the nexus and Hogwarts what was happening – what was coming. And she asked the castle for help, to let the Muggles through the wards.
She stepped off and turned to Draco. "Let's go."
They took off and joined the several hundred Corps Officers quietly entering every nook and cranny of Hogsmeade, allowing those Death Eaters who wished to surrender peacefully to do so, and arresting the others. Hermione and Draco separated; she wanted to personally find Millie, while Draco went to retrieve Astoria as a favor to Daphne.
"Millie," Hermione whispered when Millie opened her door.
"Hermione?" Millie asked incredulously, her eyes widening as she caught the surrounding activity.
"We have to go," Hermione urged her.
Millie shook her head roughly. "No, this is my home." She clutched the door so tightly her knuckles whitened.
Given the bustle around them, Millie must have known what was happening. Hermione's shoulders dropped with the realization that Millie remained loyal to her friends and leader, and was not interested in coming with her.
"Either you can come willingly, or you'll be arrested," Hermione said sadly.
"Why?" Millie looked scared.
"Because this place is wrong. Voldemort's influence here has drained the castle's magic, and his need for immortality threatens the extinction of humanity," Hermione attempted to explain. She watched the woman who had housed her, someone she considered a friend, look at her like a stranger.
"Why are you doing this?" Millie replied quietly, her voice weak.
Hermione shook her head. "I understand this is scary, but we can't simply let Voldemort and the Death Eaters stay here. It's too dangerous. He's siphoning magic from Hogwarts, and his Horcruxes caused a global birth rate crisis. Please."
Millie looked conflicted before finally reaching into her pocket and raising her wand. Hermione exhaled in defeat and tazed the woman, calling on her walkie talkie for a magical Corps Sergeant to pick Millie up. Cults, Hermione thought, as she considered how deeply Voldemort had skewed reality for so many.
She rejoined with Draco and Astoria, who seemed to be in decent shape and had surrendered of her own volition. Hermione quickly radioed an update to base camp, knowing Daphne would be checking in and anxious for an update. Finally, Hermione and Draco passed Astoria off to an Officer and returned to Hogwarts.
Walking into the castle for the second time, they heard the helicopters and smiled; Hogwarts was on theirside and had allowed the Muggle Corps members entry. Hermione pulled the Marauder's Map out of her pocket and quickly discovered the person they were looking for in the Great Hall.
As they entered, Lucius Malfoy appeared unbothered by their approach. His hand reached lazily for his wand as he watched the pair stalk towards him. "I wouldn't come any closer," Lucius warned.
Draco put his wand in its holster and raised his hands. "We don't want to fight, Father."
"No?" He laughed and mumbled something under his breath, causing all of the doors around the Great Hall to slam shut.
"No," Draco confirmed. "We wanted to talk."
"You mean distract me? Like that old man distracted the Dark Lord?" Lucius sneered, eyeing them warily. He attempted to spell ropes to tie up Hermione, but he was thwarted by a simple cutting spell.
"No." Draco shook his head, recalling his earlier conversation with Captain McGee in the war room.
"What will be their contingency?" McGee had asked.
Draco frowned. "I don't know."
"Who would know?"
Hermione's eyes lit up. "Your father." Draco frowned, and she continued. "He's the one who knows how the place works, right? He's the so-called Mayor? If there's a contingency, or a way out, he would know or be in charge of it!"
"OK. How do we stop him?" McGee questioned.
Draco furrowed his brow. "We tell him the truth."
"Did you know, Father?"
"I don't want to play these games." Lucius barked impatiently. He continued trying to subdue them, forcing Draco to draw his wand to defend himself.
"Mother destroyed one of Voldemort's Horcruxes, that's why Voldemort killed her." Draco shouted over the "booms" from spell damage, which echoed throughout the Great Hall.
Lucius blinked, stunned momentarily, before his mask of indifference returned. "It doesn't matter."
"But Voldemort had to replace that Horcrux," Draco explained and grabbed his shirt collar, yanking it down his upper arm. "Weren't you always curious about the lightning bolt scar on my shoulder?"
Lucius looked conflicted and raised his wand, issuing a weak stunner in Draco's direction that he easily blocked.
Draco continued, "He told you to pick one of us. But there was never a choice! He used my own mother's death to turn me into a Horcrux."
"But–"
"No. You can choose now, Father: you can fight us, try and enact whatever contingency or back up plan you and Voldemort surely have devised, or you can come peacefully. Do the right thing for once," Draco pleaded.
"I'm sorry, Draco," Lucius uttered softly before sending a curse towards Draco's shield.
Hermione grabbed Draco's arm, lending her power to him and extending his shield, like she'd done a month and a half earlier when they were being attacked in her home in the Uninhabitable Zone. He looked at her, his eyes drawn, and she mouthed, 'I'm sorry,' before tasing his father. and calling in reinforcements.
Lucius shook and slumped to the ground; Draco looked at him regretfully and swallowed, accepting Hermione's hand as she led him out of the castle.
Hermione knew that Draco had been hopeful Lucius would come around, that their theory about Voldemort's decision to turn Draco into a Horcrux would convince Lucius to surrender peacefully. Even though they knew his refusal to surrender was a possible outcome, her heart still broke for Draco.
They walked out of the Great Hall together, and Draco took a moment to compose himself before looking up. Before them, Corps Officers were placing anti-magic cuffs on an unconscious Voldemort.
Dumbledore looked a bit melancholy as he watched the scene unfold.
"What's wrong, sir?" Hermione asked the older wizard.
Dumbledore smiled at her sadly. "I never imagined surviving this war," he explained.
She frowned. "Isn't this a good thing then — that you survived?"
"It feels like it was all too easy..." he trailed off, pressing a finger to his chin.
Hermione shook her head. "But it wasn't. Do you know what this world has been through to get here? The risk of extinction, the revelation of magic? The Corps exists only because of the Event, and it's only because of the Corps that we were able to so 'easily' deal with Voldemort."
Dumbledore looked skeptical, and Hermione was reminded of what Harry had told them about the wizard; he had been so focused on Voldemort and the Prophecy, he'd let himself forget about the rest of the world.
Hermione tilted her head. "If you don't mind me saying, sir, it seems you've spent a lot of your life focused on Voldemort's defeat. But this moment should not, and will not define our world; Voldemort will remain a footnote in history. And that's as it should be. To give him more than that would give him the immortality he so desires. If I have anything to say about it, he will be forgotten, relegated to some prison with non-magical guards until he dies of old age.
"Sir," Hermione looked at Dumbledore earnestly, "you're still living in a world of black and white, good and evil. Perhaps at one point, it would have been that simple, were it just you and Voldemort. But the world itself is far more nuanced. We didn't win this battle too easily. We planned. We had an effective and thoughtful strategy. That's how this happened."
"That's very insightful, Ms. Granger." Dumbledore's eyes twinkled and he nodded thoughtfully. "Perhaps we can meet again some day and discuss this further." He walked towards the castle with a small smile.
"Are you ready to go?" Draco asked Hermione.
She looked around; the place was nearly unrecognizable with the assembly of Corps Officers milling about, but she heard the familiar hum of the castle and smiled. "Yeah."
London - a few hours later
"That's it?" Harry asked incredulously after Draco and Hermione recounted the day's events. They had returned to James Potter's house, looking quite put together, given they had participated in the so-called liberation of Hogwarts.
"Yup." Hermione drank her tea.
"So, Dumbledore and Tonks just distracted Voldemort while everyone else captured the rest of the Death Eaters?" Harry summarized.
"It was a bit more complicated than that," Draco argued, frowning.
"I guess I was just expecting something more... epic." Harry shrugged.
"I feel like we've had enough 'epic'," Hermione pointed out.
"True," Harry admitted. "So, what now?"
London
January 15, 2007 (1 month later)
"Please state your proposal," Fudge drawled from his seat as the Chair of the Foreign Relations Committee within the WEA Parliament. Harry blinked, amazed this man continued to remain politically popular after his tacit support of Parkinson and Greengrass.
Harry smiled, making eye contact with the members of the Committee in the small conference room in the Parliament Meeting House. "I believe it's time we stopped fearing the world outside our borders. I propose we return to the art of diplomacy: re-open trade relations with our neighbors, and develop better relations with the magical creatures within our own borders."
Fudge looked at him smugly. "Perhaps if you were still a member of this body, you could advocate for such a thing. Maybe you should talk to your ex—"
"Sir," Harry interrupted, feigning confusion. "Didn't you read my proposal?"
Fudge's eyes went wide, and a few of his colleagues snickered.
"I've proposed," Harry continued, "the creation of a foreign office that would exist independent of,but be legislated by, Parliament."
"But that's preposterous!" Fudge sputtered.
"Is it?" Harry argued. "When the WEA was founded, it was to preserve life within its borders. But we've done that. We've proven this 'social experiment' of magicals and non-magicals living together has been successful. So, now what? If we learned anything from this Death Eater ordeal, it's that we can't just ignore the rest of the world and hope it leaves us alone and doesn't affect us. That's not reasonable.
"We're not alone. There's a whole world of people out there. Reports indicate that, with the birth rate rising, internal power struggles in other countries have begun to resolve. Other nations' citizens are beginning to work together, and we can help them — show them how we've successfully worked together in the WEA. We've been insular for too long; remaining so, refusing to diversify and engage the outside world, is dangerous. We need to continue to challenge ourselves and let others question us.
"For so long, I was so focused on the birth rate problem and on the defense of the WEA and the Corps, that I forgot about why we were fighting. I was so focused on the base goal of merely existing that I forgot that what we were ultimately trying to achieve was enough stability to begin truly living again.
"When I was a representative in this body, that kind of insight — that kind of questioning — would never happen. We're so stuck in our way of doing things, our own internal turmoil, that we easily lose perspective.
"I think it's time we begin engaging with other countries, conducting diplomacy. I'm proposing an independent agency that would have a symbiotic relationship with Parliament. You, the Parliamentary Foreign Relations Committee, would continue to legislate all laws related to diplomacy. But a separate foreign service would actuallyconduct diplomacy," Harry finished, looking expectantly at the committee members.
Harry had spent the better part of the last month developing the proposal. It was something he had begun to consider on his and Ginny's Horcrux hunt: what would they have done if one of the Horcruxes had been outside of the WEA? At one point, they had considered taking a trip to Albania, based on an old legend about the Diadem, but they had no intelligence on the region. They would have had to go in blind.
The birth rate situation had taught them something critically important: things that happened in one part of the world could impact everyone. This time, it had been within their power to fix. But what if the next crisis was in South America or Asia? They would be just as blind as the rest of the world was.
But Harry's greatest motivation for developing a foreign office was the realization that the rest of the world had the right to know about what caused the birth rate issue. The WEA should share its knowledge of the magical nexus, perhaps even invite children from around the world to attend Hogwarts. Maybe if the WEA had been less insular before, they would have found scholars who could have helped them solve the birth rate issue more easily.
"Does anyone have any questions?" Fudge asked expectantly. Harry grinned – he had thoroughly vetted his proposal through the committee beforehand (including Fudge's office) and had already made substantial adjustments to ensure it passed. Fudge looked disappointed by the lack of questions. "Alright let's take a vote."
Harry did his best to tame his grin as he walked out of the committee room, his initiative passing 7-3.
30 km outside of Cambridge
"Private Malfoy," the Chief Sergeant called out.
"Sir?" Draco immediately came to attention.
"Can you tell me the standard ordnance for a magical Sergeant?" The man spat in his face.
Draco kept his breathing calm and spoke clearly: "Sir, the standard ordnance for a magical Sergeant is their wand and a ballistic weapon – the specifics of which would depend on the situation."
"Correct," the man belted.
Draco breathed a sigh of relief. He had started Corps training at the beginning of the new year. So far, it was nothing like he imagined. In spite of Hermione's endless warnings, he had never believed it would be so physical; he'd never ached so much in his life.
He hoped to finish basic training and qualify for Officers training, and then, if possible, join Captain McGee and the other strategists. He believed that, with the normalizing of relations with the rest of the world, effective military strategy would be the bedrock of the Alliance. He had seen firsthand the power of effective strategy, and he had been awed by how they had used knowledge to ensure a successful outcome.
"Dismissed. Lights out at 2100 and morning inspection at 0600 sharp," the Sergeant hollered, and Draco saluted before heading to his barracks.
"Yo, Drake." One of the non-magicals in his unit, Peter, had chosen this unfortunate nickname for him. Draco discovered the problem with starting basic training at 26 was that most of the Privates were much younger.
"What's up?"
"A couple of us are heading to the pub, you wanna join?" Peter smiled.
Draco had found it odd at first, how easily he was accepted in the unit. But his fellow recruits weren't bothered by where he had been. They didn't really know or care about who the Death Eaters were, only aware that they were the group that had been inadvertently responsible for the birth rate issue and had been summarily disbanded by the Corps. Other than the Pureblood Manifesto returning to popularity once more, and some debate over who had jurisdiction over the remaining Death Eaters, the impact of Voldemort's defeat on the WEA at large had been negligible.
"Sure," Draco started, but paused when he pulled his phone from his rucksack, frowning at the text messages. "Actually, it looks like I can't."
"Your girl nagging on you again?" Peter rolled his eyes.
The first week of training, Draco had declined all social invites, preferring to call or mirror Hermione using the two-way mirrors that Sirius had given them. Finally, she told him off, telling him how crucial these relationships were and that his fellow privates needed to to get to know him in order to trust him. Since then, he had been diligently joining them at the pub or canteen, and he found their company surprisingly enjoyable.
Draco shook his head. "No, it's.. someone I used to be friends with. I have to go." Before Peter could respond, Draco ran back to the training facility, hoping to catch his Sergeant before the man left for the day.
"Master Sergeant Daniels, Sir?" Draco started, coming to attention.
"At ease, Private." Daniels nodded. "What's on your mind?"
"Sir, I just received a message from Colonel Shacklebolt; they're requesting my presence in the questioning of one of the Death Eater prisoners." Draco offered to show him his phone.
Daniels shook his head and grabbed his walkie talkie, asking the unit secretary to verify orders. Once complete, he nodded. "Thank you for informing me. A car will be picking you up at 1800 hours. I recommend you shower before then." He smirked.
Draco saluted. "Agreed. Thank you, sir."
"Hermione?" Draco questioned, surprised to see her in the back of the car that arrived.
"Draco!" She jumped out and embraced him quickly before urging him into the car.
"What are you doing here?" Draco asked, appearing wary
"Same reason as you," she pointed out. "I need to face him."
Draco nodded. "Are you sure?"
Hermione's smile twitched. "I still don't know if his actions were of his own volition. And... sometimes, I think about how scared I was, and I don't want to live with that fear. I've turned him into a monster in my head. I think I just need to turn him back into a man." Hermione's eyes remained fixed on Draco's. "But are you ready?"
"Me?" Draco looked confused.
"Yes. He was your best friend from childhood. What if we find out that Voldemort didn't ask him to attack me? If the attack was all him?" Hermione pointed out.
Draco nodded; this was something he had considered. As part of rehabilitation, Death Eaters were required to attend therapy sessions, which at first Draco assumed would be a waste of time but discovered were actually quite... therapeutic. He was working to differentiate what was true and what was propaganda perpetuated by Voldemort. The discussion, while tedious at times, had helped prepare him for whatever Theo Nott had to say
They arrived at the London facility where the Death Eaters — who were not quite imprisoned, but also not quite free — were staying. Most of the officers smiled at the pair as they walked through the now familiar halls. Hermione often visited Millie, working with the "deprogrammers" to help her understand the world she lived in now. But Millie was not the only Death Eater to resist the WEA. While some of the Death Eaters had welcomed their liberators with open arms, the vast majority, like Millie, looked at the Corps, and the WEA in general, with hostility.
Draco and Hermione worked their way to the medical level, eventually finding the lobby where Colonel Kingsley Shacklebolt was waiting for them. "Nott woke up this morning," the Colonel confirmed.
Draco and Hermione nodded. "Can we talk to him?" Hermione asked.
Shacklebolt looked torn. "He asked to speak with Draco. He's been reasonably cooperative so far." They knew this didn't mean much — reasonably cooperative typically meant the person in question wasn't overtly violent.
"Is there any indication—" Draco swallowed "—that he was subject to the Imperius Curse?"
Shacklebolt shook his head. "I'm sorry."
Hermione nodded. "Can I go in with Draco?"
"Yes, but, there will be a Sergeant in the room with you." Kingsley was the Commanding Officer of this facility, so he was made fully aware of what precisely caused Theo's magical coma.
Hermione and Draco nodded and, after a short wait, were let into Theo's room.
Theo sat up in his hospital bed, looking fairly exhausted. "Draco?" he asked, scanning up and down Draco's military attire, before narrowing his eyes at Hermione. "What is she doing here?"
She opened her mouth to speak but shut it, taking a few deep breaths before trying again. "I'd like to know why you did it — why you attacked me."
Theo kept his focus on Draco, refusing to answer her. "Draco?" he asked.
"If you want to talk to me, you'll answer her question," Draco responded, his voice tight.
Theo shrugged, still refusing to address Hermione directly. "Does it really make a difference?"
A chill washed over her; his apathy could only mean he felt no remorse, and, in a way, it was the worst outcome Hermione could have imagined. She ran out of the room to keep herself from doing something she couldn't take back. Once in the hallway, she collapsed onto the ground, hugging her legs to her chest and taking deep breaths. After Voldemort's capture, she had voluntarily begun seeing a therapist, both to process Theo's attack on her, and to come to terms with her role in the Event and the recurring guilt she felt over it.
"Hermione, you have to prepare yourself," her therapist had told her over and over again.
"I am prepared."
Well, she thought she had been. But she realized in hindsight she had been too hopeful. She had been so sure that Voldemort had somehow forced Theo to attack her. For some reason, the fact that Theo didn't show any remorse, whether he did it of his own volition or at another's coaxing, made it worse.
"Hermione." Draco slid down next to her and grabbed her hand.
"I just," she started, hiccoughing as the tears started to fall. "I wanted it to be Voldemort's fault."
Draco rubbed circles into her palm. "I won't make excuses for him. There's no excuse for his behavior. But don't forget, he didn't succeed. You stopped him."
She shook her head. "How can people be like this, Draco?" Tears streamed down her cheeks. "Why did we save humanity if people are like this?"
"You're wrong. People aren't like this — and you know that. Individuals can be weak. He was influenced by a skewed morality; that doesn't make it okay, but I do think it means that the way he behaved isn't natural or representative of 'people.'You've always been one of the most optimistic people I know, the most idealistic. You've always seen the good in people. It's what made me realize I had good in me. Don't let him take that part of you."
Hermione nodded, closing her eyes. This wasn't the first time they'd had this conversation. "Thank you."
"You're welcome." He smiled softly at her.
"What did he ask you?" Hermione wiped at her face, the tears finally subsiding.
Draco swallowed. "I guess he didn't believe what Shacklebolt told him about Voldemort's capture."
Hermione nodded; Draco had needed to speak with a number of Death Eaters in this capacity.
"Are you okay?" she asked.
Draco shook his head and smiled. "You're unbelievable, thinking of me..." he trailed off. "But... yeah, I'm not sure if I'm okay – but I'm getting there."
Hermione curled her lips slightly. "I guess we can get there together."
Draco helped her up. "Well, good news is I'm not expected on base until tomorrow. Want to swing by Potter's?"
"Oh shit! Are you AWOL?" Harry answered the door with a huge grin. He was still living with his father, given he was technically unemployed at the moment.
"Shut up, Potter." Draco rolled his eyes but gave him a clap on the back regardless.
"It's good to see you guys." Harry smiled and walked them into the living room, where an impromptu gathering was taking place.
"What is everyone doing here?" Hermione asked, noticing Daphne, Ginny, and Ron milling about.
"Celebrating," Daphne explained to the pair. "Harry's foreign office proposal has successfully passed committee. It will go before all of Parliament next week."
"Harry, that's amazing!" Hermione congratulated her friend.
"What are you all doing in town?" Harry asked.
While Draco had decided to take the leap and join the Corps, Hermione was still deciding if she wanted to re-train as a magical officer. In the meantime, she had received a commission from the London Institute to study magical theory, so with Sirius's blessing, she had been taking an inventory of his massive stockpile of 'crap' in his home in Cambridge. Sirius had inherited nearly all of the Black family's possessions, including priceless heirlooms and rare tomes. She hoped this would provide a good starting point into her study on magical theory.
Hermione and Draco looked at one another briefly before Draco responded. "Theo Nott woke up."
The room went silent. "Are you alright?" Ginny asked.
"No—" Hermione took a breath "—but I will be." She shook herself and, anxious to change the subject, turned to Harry. "So, if your proposal passes, what then? Will you run the office?"
"Honestly? I'm not sure. As much passion as I have for the project, I wouldn't be surprised if there's a better bureaucrat for the job, probably someone older who actually has foreign relations experience. I would like to be involved though, maybe as a liaison with Parliament and the Corps, or one day as a foreign officer."
"I'm sure you'll be great." Hermione smiled and the group fell back into their easy conversation. She watched them, her friends, and realized with a sense of calm and certainty, that this is what she was fighting for, this is what they saved. The world wasn't perfect; the WEA didn't represent the ideal governmental body. But they would work every day to make it better so that small moments like these no longer felt extraordinary.
So that they could stop merely surviving and be truly free.
End Part 3
A/N: This marks the end of Part 3, and the end of the meat of the story itself. There is an epilogue, but our main characters' stories end here (for now… more on sequels in my next endnote). This end note, and the one that follows, will be abhorrently long, so if you have 0 interest in some of the minutiae of this story or the influence behind it, please feel free to skip/ignore.
I was inspired to write Finding Kallipolis after reading one too many Voldemort Wins AUs, in which Muggles were considered utterly powerless against magic. As a huge fan of sci-fi, and a firm believer in the ability of everyday people to do extraordinary things, this inspired me to write my own story with those elements in mind. It actually started with the idea of a scene of Hermione finding a passed out, depowered Death Eater Draco, and evolved into this monstrosity.
For anyone familiar with the 90s show Babylon 5, I was highly influenced by the storytelling elements in the show. I wanted to weave a political/mystery storyline (Harry & Daphne) and a more sci-fi/fantastical plot (Draco/Hermione) into one coherent narrative. I've always been in awe of J. Michael Stracyzinski's storytelling in Babylon 5, and the way he so discreetly wove clues in the first few seasons for elements that wouldn't be discussed or explored until season 4 or 5.
As you may or may not have noticed, one of the tags on this fic is philosophy, and the title of this fic, along with the quotes at the beginning of each part, are all pulled straight from Plato's Republic. This fic, for me, was a way to explore the question of freedom, and what it means to be free. I hope you found (er, if it was of interest to you) that this fic brought up questions you hadn't thought of regarding what exactly it means to be free, and how knowledge and different barriers impact freedom. In case anyone was wondering what on earth The Republic quotes at the beginning of each part meant, they relate largely to Draco's journey:
"How could they see anything but the shadows if they were never allowed to move their heads?" — at the beginning of the narrative, Draco is literally entirely ignorant of the world around him. That ignorance makes him (arguably) inherently unfree.
"the upward journey and the viewing of the upward world as the soul's ascent to the intelligible." — the second part of the story was all about Draco actually seeing the world, both literally in that he and Hermione left the Uninhabitable Zone as well as less literally in terms of learning the secrets that had been kept from him.
"nothing beautiful…without struggle." — the last part of Finding Kallipolis came down to Draco's choice, and understanding the value of being truly free.
Draco's speech in the shrieking shack to Hermione was my attempt to encapsulate this entire journey into a few words. And the important part, the struggle, being the importance of his choice:
"My world was shadows until you, Hermione. I didn't know it, but it was like seeing only black and white. You showed me the world — you showed me the true forms around me. I see in color now. I wasn't free until you found me, and I refuse to lose that again. I won't go back to that cave. I won't go back to only seeing shadows. Hermione, please. This is my choice." (Chapter 39)
I was influenced by two other works of fanfiction: one was A Dark, Distorted Mirror, which is a massive Babylon 5 fanfiction which looks at how one change in the past leads to a different future. For anyone who has seen Babylon 5, I highly recommend checking it out.
The other was a Buffy the Vampire Slayer/Stargate SG-1 Crossover series - the "Normalverse". While not really directly influenced, this series highlighted Buffy, who in canon did not work well with the military, developing a very effective and beneficial working relationship with the members of SG-1 and the SGC. It also showed a thoughtful and effective military body, which partially inspired the Corps, while at the same time showing the flaws of such a military/the government.
As always, thank you to everyone who has taken the time to read this. I truly hope you've enjoyed going on this journey with me. I appreciate any and all comments and I can be found on Tumblr at canttouchthis87.