Elune's Pebble

by Tendragos

HP/Warcraft crossover with no knowledge of Warcraft needed. Harry in his 5th year could have used a few friends with actual combat experience. A lot of folks on Azeroth during Cataclysm would have been better off anywhere else. If you think HP cannon needed more Dragons, this is the fic for you! Features HP/HG/? Ship and a Cursed!Dumbledore.

28. Chapter 28: Manners Matter

Thanks to everyone who reviewed last chapter! I always love reading a thoughtful review. Big thanks to my betas for helping me polish this chapter, it wouldn't be as good without the extra eyes!

.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.

Chapter 28: Manners Matter

Or: Vive le Révolution

.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.

The morning after Hogwarts' complete victory over the The Grand Goblin Army in their attempt to take Hogwarts castle and force the Ministry to surrender or watch their children die until they did, Headmaster Aurogon Salonar disembarked from his disc in the rain outside Number Ten Downing Street in London. There was a bitterly cold rain falling in the early morning, and the disguised dragon shivered briefly before layering even more warming charms. While it was cold out, he'd spent the first ten years of his life in Northrend, this wasn't really so bad in comparison. (Then again, he had never stayed long on that frozen continent when he had the choice.) With a few flicks of his wand he cast magic to keep the rain off, pulled out a warm thermos of tea, and activated his ability to see magic. Logically, he assumed that the Prime Minister would have at least a few outcast muggleborn working in his security, and the drake was pleased to find out he was right. Before leaving Hogwarts he'd layered himself in charms that kept every muggle from noticing him, and now that he was at his destination he withdrew a large sign bearing the same magic from an expanded briefcase and set it up next to him.

"The Headmaster of Hogwarts desperately needs to speak to the Prime Minister about a danger under London." Was succinct but would hopefully get him a few moments of the man's time, which was all he really needed. Transfiguring a table and chair just outside the security perimeter, he sat back and sipped at his tea, savoring the way the beverage almost masked the taste of the stimulant potion that was keeping him alert. Just to be sure this wouldn't take very long, the drake flicked small tendrils of magic outward that would seek out the magical signatures inside and wake them. With that done he conjured a table and pulled out a bit of paperwork to while away the time.

.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.

Half an hour later, the security team for the Prime Minister was not wholly sure what to make of the sight that only their four magical members could see. Though the rest of the team could indeed see that there was something where the man sat thanks to the steam generated by what the wizards said were probably very powerful warming charms. After some discussion they decided to find out what the man wanted, since he was very politely waiting just outside the area closed to the general public. One of the wizards went out to speak with him while another watched the camera footage and narrated it to those who couldn't see. There was a little panic when upon being handed a newspaper the man nearly dropped to the ground before the Headmaster conjured a chair beneath him. Once the Headmaster confirmed that the contents were completely true and in fact taken from the memories of the people who were there, the obvious question of why the man was sitting out in the rain trying to get their attention came up. The response was easily picked up on the guard's radio. "Because I need a section of London evacuated this afternoon. The army that attacked my school is dead but the threat is not removed until I have a declaration of surrender, and without an evacuation of certain areas innocent lives might be lost."

.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.

Fifteen minutes after that, the Headmaster was sitting at a briefing table with two of the building's four wizards still sipping his tea. The sun was nearly up now as a radio was brought in and Aurogon declined the offered tea. A voice spoke through the radio after the Headmaster turned down the offered refreshments. "I'm sorry that wasn't to your liking Headmaster, I can have them bring in something else if you'd prefer."

Waving his hand, fairly sure he was on a camera somewhere, the Headmaster responded. "Oh no, I'm sure it was very good tea. The problem is that I've had a day that started at four am two days ago and this stimulant potion flavored with tea in my thermos is the only thing keeping me awake at the moment. It might actually be strong enough to kill your mundane security if I shared. I'm hoping to make arrangements to end this little war and then sleep for a few hours before I carry them out."

(He wasn't lying about his beverage. In the past he'd used magic to keep himself active when needed, not really caring about the side effects to his health. He had stopped because of the oath ritual; he knew his Lord wanted him healthy and while he wasn't directly compelled the little voice in his head had convinced him to care more about his long-term health. The potion was less harmful than pushing magic into his nervous system but needed to be outrageously strong to keep a tired drake functioning.)

The voice through the radio spoke again as the Headmaster began pulling out a map of London with markings on it. "I'm sure you've had a stressful time, it's rare I get to see moving photos so I thank you for the newspaper. Now, would you be willing to explain why you want us to evacuate London?"

Handing the map over to one of the wizards, the Headmaster ran a hand through his blue hair and began to explain. "To put it bluntly, I need to force a magically-binding surrender, not a simple agreement from the goblins to cease fighting until they rebuild their forces or see an opportunity to strike again. Sadly, their burrows are located under London and I can't guarantee the safety of the marked areas, especially those underground. My suggestion is that you explain it as terrorists planning to attack and hold a prestigious school hostage were stopped by your forces and now your agents are moving against their base. However, the terrorists have been found to have a vast supply of liquid nitrogen so these areas were evacuated to ensure your people are safe. With the Statute of Secrecy that's as much of the truth as we can share, I think."

There was a pause for a moment as the people in the room looked at the map and approximated depths of Gringotts and the surrounding warrens and relayed that information. (Several goblins in the force attacking Hogwarts had lived long enough for a somewhat brutish application of the mind arts to reveal the locations of their underground fortresses.) Eventually the voice likely to be the Prime Minister asked what he felt was the most pertinent question. "Before I order the way cleared for your retaliatory strike, can you tell me why the 'goblins' attacked your school in the first place? From what I understand they're bankers who aren't treated well by your government."

"First, Mr. Prime Minister, it isn't 'my government.' Not only is Minister Fudge an incompetent moron, he is enormously corrupt and paranoid. I refuse to serve a government that makes discrimination an official policy or one that attempts to murder teenagers and then prosecutes them for surviving inept assassinations." Taking a moment to breathe and marshal his thoughts, Aurogon continued. "To understand the truth about the goblins isn't a simple matter. If you've ever read 'The Lord of the Rings' and remember the author's take on orcs and goblins, that's a good starting point. Yesterday's battle took place because the wizards of the past chose not to invade the goblin's tunnels and kill them all, which was both a moral and practical decision. Your staff can research this on their own time, but in one important way the goblins are similar to Acromantula, a species of giant, man-eating spiders.

"Put succinctly, the goblins are a race that gained intelligence from an outside source. I have some ideas what that might be, but no way to gain samples of that material at this time. The problem is it wasn't a permanent alteration of their species, over time their intelligence began to regress. From everything I can tell, the goblins realized this and panicked, then made a very bad choice in their desperation to remain intelligent. I brought up the Acromantula because they are a magically enhanced species that gained intelligence in the same way the desperate goblins attempted to hold onto theirs. The problem is that the side effect drove them much closer to Tolkien's fictional goblins. I'm unsure if the goblins even have the choice between good and evil or if they've damaged themselves too much."

While a lot of that was supposition and educated guesses, not a word he'd spoken to those listening was untrue. Azeroth's goblins owed their intelligence to a substance called Kaja'mite, something nearly every researcher on Azeroth wanted to study but so very rarely had access to. Without access to the ore that enhanced their minds, whatever band of goblins that found their way to earth would have found their intelligence declining fairly quickly. Having sent both Acromantula and goblins back to Azurewing Repose for in-depth analysis, he knew there was a common magical residue in both creatures. When that shared residue had been isolated and implanted into a test animal, the creature had quickly gained enough intelligence to speak while also becoming harsh and cruel. It did not suddenly gain a soul.

Suddenly sounding like a man who had fought his way to the top of the often treacherous political world, the Prime Minister spoke again. "And what are your intentions toward the goblins as a whole?"

Answering with surety in his voice, the Headmaster replied. "I'm hoping to force a surrender for two reasons: First to ensure they won't threaten the children in my care ever again and second to force their people to find an alternative to whatever has warped them. I don't currently know exactly what they've done to themselves, but if it is physically possible I hope to restore their people. To let them choose between good and evil as easily as you or I."

Once again speaking through the radio, the Minister responded. "And I suppose you don't trust the magical government to handle this?"

Aurogon laughed briefly at that. "No. Minister Fudge would receive a 'campaign donation' and declare the matter settled and the goblins would simply bide their time again. They've done this before, the only surprise is that they've waited so long. Whatever they're using to block magical travel is an impressive piece of magic, and their warriors were using armor that negated direct magic, so much that using the castle's wards against them was extremely difficult. They were even armed with bladed weapons that negated every form of defensive magic; if we had let them get close enough to injure us we'd likely have all died.

"If there's nothing else Mr. Prime Minister, I still do have a lot of preparations to handle. Are you willing to evacuate the area I marked on the map by three this afternoon? I expect there to be some damage to underground structures, but it should be minimal and if you have someone inform me what breaks I'll have it repaired."

"I believe we can have those areas emptied, I would ask you not to engage in genocide on English soil, however."

"I am hoping I don't have to, but one way or another this ends today. I need to be going, but once travel becomes possible again feel free to send one of your people to Hogwarts if you need anything." With that the Headmaster was escorted out of the building and after re-applying the magic that kept mundane humans from noticing him mounted his broom and sped away at a great speed. He set down outside of London and opened a portal, quickly returning to the Room of Requirement and almost immediately falling asleep after he set an alarm. At Harry's urging, Stine placed a temporal expansion spell on the Room to let the drake get a few more hours of rest.

.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.

Across the lands still under the goblin's ward, students were working together to safeguard the school's owls. Draco Malfoy had sent Gregory Goyle to Malfoy Manor with three copies of the paper along with several vials of pensieve memories and a note for his father explaining that everything in the paper was true, along with the warning that Potter had shown his memories of certain events and had been believed. Draco's note explained that he would have come himself, but the Headmaster had asked him to be rested and ready for battle that afternoon, so naturally Draco was gathering his strength. Draco had actually sent Gregory to deliver the news because he was becoming rather annoyed with him. Yesterday, just before Potter and Granger led them through that incredible group spell, Harry had spoken to the Slytherins and explicitly told them that any 'accidental' harming of Granger or himself would result in the Slytherin group tragically falling in battle to stray goblin arrows. He had then summoned arrows out of a pocket and driven them into the stone wall a hair's breadth from their heads. Wandlessly. Without even gesturing with his hands.

After Harry smiled and left the hallway to ascend the Astronomy tower, Greg had scoffed at Potter's 'bluff.' Draco had slapped the back of his head and confidently spoke. "That wasn't a bluff moron, it was a statement of fact. Potter values Granger's life more than he does all of ours put together. Don't pull any shite today."

After that, they had worked together to first create clouds and rain, and then a thunderstorm. Draco could admit he had no idea what they were really doing until Potter scythed down hundreds of goblins in a single strike. In hindsight it made a lot of sense when their enemy was protected from direct magic like curses but vulnerable to physical forces. It really was a brilliant idea to create and harness a storm like that, and with the results speaking so loudly he certainly didn't mind following Granger's lead while Harry sunk himself deep into the magic of wielding storm clouds like the goblins did their axes. Granger had always been impressively intelligent, and with the reveal and expulsion of Dumbledore had become less abrasive. Mudblood or not, Draco almost regretted burning so many bridges with her.

Draco would have flung Crabbe or Goyle off the tower himself if they had allowed a goblin arrow through their shields, and not just because of Potter's wrath. Granger had proved her mind was useful, and simply letting her die or killing her would be wasteful. While being wealthy had admittedly allowed him to become wasteful and spoiled, when he was head of his family Draco resolved to never waste a resource if he could help it. And while muggleborns were considered subhuman by his family, he felt more and more that more could be gained by finding a place for them than by simply wiping them out. After he learned that their group Storm spell was based on what muggles had learned about how natural storms formed, Draco had begun an effort to learn muggle science that dealt with water and air. He would have been a fool not to seek out knowledge on what the elements easiest for him to use were capable of.

.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.

At Malfoy Manor, the entirety of Lord Voldemort's forces had been gathered, though many had been forced to fly on brooms thanks to the goblin magic still permeating the land. At first, nearly everyone had been convinced that somehow the Ministry of Magic was moving against them without any of them having advance warning. After several hours Lucius had taken a broom to the Ministry building and sent back a patronus confirming that the Ministry was in disarray and obviously not the source of the travel ward. Speculation continued to run rampant until Gregory Goyle arrived that morning with three hastily printed newspapers, memory vials, and a note. Goyle the younger invoked Voldemort's ire when he had trouble pulling the correct memory of something the Dark Lord wanted to see in more detail.

When the teen eventually produced a memory of the parts of the battle he saw firsthand, starting with Potter issuing a threat to the children of the men around the table, there was disbelief. Lucius Malfoy received an extended punishment for his failure with the diary when it was revealed that his failure not only lost the relic but cost the Dark Lord Salazar Slytherin's Basilisk.

(Of course the Dark Lord would never admit his control over the beast was far from perfect. In fact the last time he had seen the beast in person it had defied his control and attempted to kill him. It was only his speed at running away and the quick application of an illusion spell that saw Myrtle Warren die in his place. There may have been some luck involved as well. In his rage at nearly dying he had spent weeks devising magic that would force the beast to suffer until it submitted to him. Without being seen, he'd locked the Basilisk away in the chamber and anchored the spell with a wardstone. He never saw Slytherin's Basilisk again with his own eyes, but obviously Potter had killed it nearly at the cost of his own life; Lucius's memory of the boy after the battle included a puncture in his sleeve.)

Still, the Dark Lord had to be impressed with the necromancy involved in reanimating the massive snake. And despite the story being told to the public, it was obvious that necromancy had been used to animate the creature; though using runes and metal to reinforce the bones and some kind of flame-based reanimation was very clever. Voldemort really had no idea what the exact spell animating the basilisk was, most necromancy required minor things like muscles and flesh for the constructs to move. As he watched Draco's memory of the serpent burning the goblins he was glad his first move all those years ago had been severing the creature from the wards. With his impressive defense of the school, Voldemort decided to keep a closer eye on Aurogon Salonar.

.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.

Since flying home on a broom was both beneath their dignity and presented practical concerns for the Minister's security detail, both the Minister and his Undersecretary had been sleeping in hastily transfigured bedrooms at the Ministry building. Cornelius Fudge had been working with Delores to remove the upstart who had stolen the post of Headmaster but hadn't wanted to directly remove him. That changed when his secretary rushed in with the first paper that had been delivered since those damned eagles started going after all the owls. If anything written in the paper was believed by the public, Salonar and Potter's popularity would quickly outshine his own. Immediately he sent Delores to the Daily Prophet to get a new issue printed and delivered by any means necessary to announce that everything in the first paper was a lie and all travel to Hogsmead and Hogwarts was banned for the time being. (In this case, that meant until enough doubt could be sown to keep the sheep from following a different shepherd.)

However, steps would need to be taken to curb certain individuals soon. All their work to discredit the boy since he had returned to Hogwarts spreading lies about the return of a dark lord could not be allowed to fall apart so easily.

.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.

As morning dragged on, those who had lived in Hogsmead walked through the ashes of their town, but only after Harry Potter had collected all of the venomous serpents that had survived into a warm box. By the time the young man who was obviously still feeling the efforts of the day before finished and returned to the castle for a little well-earned rest, almost no one who lived in Hogsmead still considered Parseltongue an inherently evil skill. After seeing Harry Potter with their own eyes, many villagers had sworn to cancel their subscriptions to the Daily Prophet when they saw for themselves how little truth really went into that paper.

After lunch had been served, various students with leanings towards Earth magic had begun to clean up the cooled lava from the day before. This group, mostly consisting of Hufflepuffs with strong stomachs, were aided by the villagers eager to rebuild their homes. The next few days would mostly involve cleaning up the mess left behind and sourcing materials to rebuild, along with drawing up plans. While very few of the villagers wanted to include walls or fortifications in the new design of the village, nearly everyone agreed that while possibly an eyesore they were damn useful when they were actually needed. Stone was more expensive than wood, but the Headmaster promised that between the value of the goblin's armor and weapons and a personal investment, the cost would be covered. In many ways the official agreement that was signed when the Headmaster woke at two in the afternoon was reminiscent of the villagers agreeing to serve a Feudal lord, but with clear responsibilities of the lord to those under him. Given that the man had been proved to be intelligent, cunning, honorable, and personally powerful, the villagers really didn't think they were getting a bad deal.

.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.

Rubeus Hagrid had taken the truth about Dumbledore rather well once he'd endured a purging potion. Several people were convinced that he still believed in Dumbledore, but was keeping quiet, however. Harry had spoken with the giant man in the forge as he and Ron worked to get his armor adjusted and the dents hammered out and had convinced Hagrid to see for himself what kind of man the new Headmaster was. Hagrid had grudgingly admitted that if Harry trusted Aurogon, then he would give the man a chance. He was certainly interested in the school's new blacksmithing program and watched attentively as Harry heated his spear's blade and carefully reforged the edge. Harry might not have admitted what the fluid he was quenching the blade in was, but Hagrid recognized it as blood, probably from a powerful magical creature. When the Professor called Harry on it, the boy told Hagrid it was willingly given and from several individuals to avoid any real harm.

(Every one of the Storm whelps had volunteered some blood, even the newest group Harry had rescued during his rescue mission on Hyjal. A portkey had taken him to the cave where two Storm Dragon sisters were raising their children, and Harry had replaced eggs, whelps, and one sister just before the cave collapsed.)

Hagrid took the destruction of the Acromantula Colony less well. Both Harry and Ron repeated their tale of what happened when the half-giant had given them cryptic advice to seek out the spiders three times in deadpan voices before it sunk in that the creatures were dangerous to the school and the village.

.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.

At three in the afternoon, an eclectic group gathered in Hogwarts' entry hall. Standing with the Headmaster were Professors Hagrid, Lothar, McGonagall, and Sprout as well as Jason Atreides, Draco Malfoy, Harry Potter, and Susan Bones. The students and professors were wearing loaned Basilisk hide armor except for Harry, Hagrid, and Senas Lothar. Harry and Professor Lothar were wearing their plate armor and Hagrid was back in the plate armor from the battle, now repaired and correctly fitted. Everyone else was wearing Basilisk hide armor on loan from Harry. Over the armor everyone save Hagrid and Lothar were wearing a brightly colored robe with the Hogwarts insignia prominently displayed. Each robe was in a color associated with the House they were associated with save the Headmaster who wore a dark blue robe.

The Headmaster spoke to them as they stood waiting to find out what the plan was. (Harry knew the plan, and in fact had helped to make it.) "Thank you Mr. Potter for the Basilisk hide you're loaning to us today. For those of you who want to accompany me, we're going to travel to Diagon Alley and force the surrender of the goblins. This is optional, there's no shame in having had your fill of violence."

Surprisingly enough, no one backed out and everyone save the Headmaster were soon sitting comfortably inside an expanded trunk as the Headmaster traveled at a great rate of speed towards London. Back at Potter Manor, the Grangers had been monitoring the news and had reported that about twenty square blocks of London around King's Cross station and the entrance to the Leaky Cauldron had been evacuated. However, there was no reason for the evacuation given. That was a little larger than they had asked for, but it was nice to have a little extra breathing room.

About forty minutes after starting out, the lid to the trunk was opened and the group exited into the Leaky Cauldron. Apparently the trick to nearly supersonic broom travel was a magical shield shaped like a 'flying wing' aircraft. (Also, a broom designed to channel all the power of a magically powerful drake to increase its speed. On a side note, the rather 'well-used' school brooms had been donated to Azurewing Repose with an agreement that the dragons would share any interesting advancements made by their study. Apparently the worn-down brooms were easier to study than the more advanced models.)

The crowd that had been stranded in the pub was rather surprised to see a war party emerge from the trunk, and instead of answering questions, a flick of the new Headmaster's wand sent everyone in the pub a copy of their morning edition. Shouting to be heard, Aurogon spoke just two sentences. "It's all true, the photos were taken from pensieve memories. If you'll excuse us, there's something we need to do."

From there, the group moved into Diagon Alley and marched towards Gringotts Bank. About now messenger Patroni would be reaching a number of Aurors with the announcement that the area around the bank needed to be cleared of civilians. As they approached the bank, they fell, without thinking about it much, into a wedge formation, with the Headmaster in the middle, the Professors to his left, and the students to his right. Most of them were fingering their wands nervously; no one wanted to be too close to Hagrid, as he was twirling his axes and getting used to how the enchantments that returned them to his hands worked. In their robes, they made quite a sight marching through the alley.

When one of the Aurors who had been assigned to keep order stormed over to the group to assert his authority, sneering at the half-giant in armor, Draco quickly got his attention. "Flint, just shut your useless mouth and get out of the way! I know you're one of my father's friends, but your whole department is obviously useless if you let five-thousand goblins lay siege to Hogwarts castle. Hell, I bet you don't even know that Hogsmead is nothing but ash. No, be silent, watch, and learn something."

Harry really couldn't keep the smile off his face as he listened. Draco was really only with them to prevent the parts of the Ministry on his father's payroll out of their way. Susan was there for a similar reason, while Harry was there to be seen proving his power if they had a real fight on their hands. With only a few other interruptions, they reached a spot about sixty feet (~18 meters) from the bank, the area that had been judged the best location for the elaborate twenty-foot (~6 meter) runic circle the Headmaster began carving with the frosty scythe now in his hands. He worked quickly, and ten minutes of carving the pavement stones left a series of runes carved into the cobblestone street rather deeply. With a careless movement of his arm, the Headmaster withdrew a vial from a pocket and poured it into the center of the new mark, the fluid that was the color and temperature of unforgiving glacial ice quickly settled in the marks. As the last of the carving was filled in the Headmaster stoppered the greatly expanded vial and nodded to the people who had accompanied him.

They moved again, this time in two rows with the students behind. Stopping at the bottom of the steps of the bank, Aurogon spoke with a charm on his voice that was as much for the goblins as it was for the quickly gathering crowd. "Goblins of Gringotts, I am Headmaster Aurogon Salonar of Hogwarts and I am here to bring an end to the conflict you began. To ensure you know how serious I am, I'd like to return the army sent to burn Hogsmead and capture Hogwarts."

Since physical force had worked so well against the goblin army, it had been decided to use it again during the 'aggressive negotiations.' With a few flicks of his wand, thirty-five feet (10.6 meters) of hastily repaired golem rose out a trunk built of deep blue metal. While the Curator was not really ready for real combat, the most glaring holes had been patched and soldered together. (Yesterday, after it had fallen in combat, the construct had been dragged into the Twilight Realm by the troop of dragons waiting to unleash hell on the invading army if Hogwarts began to fall. Needless to say, the goblins who had come with the broken golem were surprised for the rest of their rather short lives. Knowing their Lord was in danger but being forced to wait almost blind to help him did not make for merciful, 'let's take them prisoner' states of mind for Harry's dragons.)

While the golem's control matrix was still in need of delicate repair, Aurogon was able to operate the Curator like a puppet or remote-controlled toy. While he'd be utterly unable to do anything else while moving the golem with his magic, no one else needed to know that. 'Subtle' could not accurately describe a giant golem punching the doors before it forced them open and tore the rather large doors off their hinges. After that it straightened and returned to the Headmaster's trunk. Removing and canceling the shrinking spell from an ash gray trunk in his pocket, the Headmaster banished it into the bank. Draco asked a question that was suddenly bothering him. "I wasn't aware we'd taken any goblins prisoner."

It was somewhat amusing, Harry thought, as he watched Draco's face pale when he replied. "We didn't."

Suddenly a lot of very angry goblins came pouring out of the bank, covered in ash. Apparently the trunk had not landed right side up. The Headmaster nodded to Professor McGonagall who produced a wooden box the size of a normal wardrobe and opened the door, proving it was full of transfigured creatures, including no shortage of Harry's wolves, both those leftover from the battle and new ones he'd been producing today. Instead of charging the goblins, the creatures simply formed ranks in front of the professors. Aurogon spoke again, his voice enhanced to reach all of Diagon and deep into Gringotts. "I didn't come here to fight you, goblins. I did enough of that yesterday. I am here to accept your surrender."

When a goblin in ornate armor near the back of the force began laughing, Aurogon removed a second scythe from his pocket dimension and sent it spinning his way. The second scythe was new, he had actually just recently finished crafting it and this was his first time using it in combat. Except for the color, it was nearly a perfect duplicate of his first. The new scythe was a shade of blue so dark it was almost black and had been fired in his own flames and quenched in blood from several Twilight dragons. Apparently the goblin commander expected his own weapon to block the incoming scythe, but the enchanted metal went clean through both weapon, armor, and goblin. With a gesture the blade reversed its course and returned to the young man waiting for their next move. That move was apparently a bloodthirsty charge at Professors.

Just before the charging goblins reached them Aurogon swung his white scythe, leaking frost and snowflakes, in a slash in the direction of the approaching group. With apparently no effort, every goblin was encased in ice. And it wasn't the harmless stasis spell the Headmaster had used on Draco either, the ice was simply the product of removing heat from the affected area.

Suddenly the temperature of the air in Diagon Alley dropped. Speaking again, Aurogon focused the spell, amplifying his voice into the tunnels below. "I am here to accept your surrender. Since your plan was to capture Hogwarts and murder children until the Ministry surrendered, I have little mercy left for you. More than any other kind of magic, Frost is the easiest for me to work with. Frost magic embodies the cold, unfeeling harshness of winter, and now because you tried to harm my students, you can experience that magic yourselves."

Behind the group of teachers and students, the runes carved into the stone began to glow with an eerie blue light. "Until you surrender to me, you will experience the unstoppable onslaught of the Remorseless Winter. Surrender or die, it is your choice, goblins of Gringotts. Your pride will not keep you warm or alive."

This variation of Remorseless Winter was a runic based spell Aurogos had adapted to siege the goblins tunnels. Because it wasn't an attack in the traditional sense, it could bypass many wards and affect the subterranean civilization directly. After all, the magic wasn't hurting anyone directly, it was simply absorbing heat and then converting that heat into magic to prolong and intensify the effect. Common sense would say that there wasn't much heat to absorb from the English soil in November, but the truth was that things could always get colder.

While Harry was comfortable using the threat of genocide to cow the goblins into submission given their plan included killing children on the front steps of Gringotts until the Ministry surrendered, he was relived when the goblins caved. (Because information was more valuable than gold in wartime, several goblins had been thoroughly interrogated with Veritaserum. Harry's dragons learned a lot of things from that, including that Veritaserum was a deadly poison to goblins.) Half an hour after the Headmaster had triggered Remorseless Winter, a goblin covered in frost stumbled out of Gringotts waving a white flag.

A few moments later the goblin king and bank director along with an honor guard filed out, all of them covered in a layer of ice. When the goblins began to bicker at the terms of the agreement and tried to argue for better ones, Aurogon simply gestured at the glowing runes. "Remorseless Winter won't end until you sign the agreement."

The goblin king shouted at the Headmaster. "You want us to be your slaves! Better to die as we are!"

"Not slaves. If you sign this on behalf of your people you will answer to me as a vassal does to his lord. That means I have responsibilities to you, just as you have responsibilities to me. I have no intention of destroying your people or using them as petty slaves, but one way or another you will never again lay siege to my school."

Given the fact that the Headmaster's magic was still sapping the heat from below the earth, the two goblins reluctantly signed the surrender that bound their people to the service of the Headmaster of Hogwarts for ten generations. (A quirk in the contract was that they were agreeing to serve Aurogos, the current Headmaster. Their assumptions that they were bound to serve whoever controlled the school were wrong.)

In any case, the war with the Goblin Nation was over. As soon as the two signatures, representing both military and financial leadership of their people, were on paper the Headmaster released the magic and the air began to warm. (Underground it would take longer to return to normal temperatures.) Moving as if already used to authority, the Headmaster began giving commands to his new fiefdom. "Welcome to my service. Deactivate whatever you're using to suppress magical travel and bring me a copy of the ward scheme to look over. It was an impressive ward and I want to find other uses for it. Gringotts Bank is to re-open its doors as soon as possible. You are to bring me the following information as soon as possible: detailed information on all problems your species is currently dealing with, the true history of your race and all information on any alchemical or potion based solutions widely used at any point in your history. I'm going to give you an object to allow us to communicate, we'll discuss other topics privately tonight.

"Other than that, secure your bank and keep it secure. Maintain business as usual while we work together to keep your bank profitable and give your people a bright future."

While the goblins were not happy about how their rebellion ended, things could have been worse. While they had yet to verify that the entire army they'd sent to capture Hogwarts was dead, Headmaster Salonar's chest of ashes painted a grim picture of what had happened to them. The Goblin Nation was not in the strongest bargaining position it had ever been. With two-thirds of their armed forces either dead or missing in action and unknown magic freezing their tunnels, surrender had been the only option to avoid death. And for a leader to be sworn to, at least he was as much a warrior as a wizard; the captain Salonar had bisected as if his armor was mere paper and the goblins frozen solid spoke to his capacity for ruthlessness.

.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.

As the Hogwarts group answered questions from the gathered crowd and the Headmaster removed the entire section of road containing his runes, Cornelius Fudge and as many Aurors as he could muster pushed through the crowd. Ignoring the politician's blustering, Aurogon removed the last of the metal boxes encased in glass from the battle yesterday. Using his white scythe to levitate it over the rather sizable section of road he'd just removed along with the runes for Remorseless Winter, he very carefully altered the magic and then tilted the cube, pouring molten stone to fill in the gap. It took a bit of alchemy, but with some work he had perfectly filled in what he'd removed with rapidly cooling stone with the appearance of glossy obsidian and the physical properties of granite. Turning back to the group he saw that both Draco and Susan were arguing with the Minister while Harry stood back, and slightly to the side with his violently sparking wand out. Thankfully the wand was pointed towards the ground, but it was obvious that the Lord of Dragons had nearly reached the end of his patience for Minister Fudge. Hagrid also did not look happy, apparently being thrown into Azkaban so the Ministry could be seen 'doing something,' had not created fond feelings.

Using the wand hidden in his robe's sleeves, Aurogon amplified his voice again and silenced Fudge with a very durable silencing charm. "The Goblin Rebellion of 1995 is over! Although Hogsmead was burned down by our enemy, not one villager or student was killed! Hogsmead will be rebuilt better than ever! Thank all of you for turning out to watch me finish negotiations with the goblin leadership, and thank you Minister Fudge for doing the best thing you could have done in this conflict and staying out of the way. By allowing five thousand goblins to march on Hogwarts castle and leaving us to fend for ourselves you ensured we learned how to defend our venerable institution. If you will excuse me, I need to get these students who earned their presence here by distinguishing themselves during the battle back to Hogwarts and begin creating a lesson plan on how to rebuild a magical village. Please feel free to visit Hogsmead yourselves, the goblin's ward should be going down shortly."

With that, Aurogon removed and expanded the highly comfortable travel trunk and began ushering the students and staff inside. When it was just Aurogon, Draco, and Harry left, Harry silently caught his oathsworn's attention and glanced at the crowd. Understanding Harry wanted to be heard, the drake quickly wove the same magic he'd been using on his Lord and refreshed the silencing charm on Fudge and his minions. Harry took a deep breath and his magic calmed, his wand no longer sparking. Looking at the fool who had been making an effort to destroy him since the end of the third task, he spoke to the Minister, even though he was mostly talking to the crowd.

"Minister Fudge. You've been trying to destroy my reputation, but you've been doing it with lies. Lies are all you have. Lies are how you've gotten so far after all, if you were honest you'd never have become Minister. After all, no one would ever vote for you if you admitted what a corrupt, paranoid, small-minded fool you are. Minister Fudge, your house of lies will crumble like wet sand the moment the people know the truth. And I can challenge you using only the truth. Farewell Minister, the next time we speak we'll discuss how you've nearly killed me with Dementors on the Hogwarts Express, Dementors on the Hogwarts Quidditch Pitch, Dementors on the ground of Hogwarts, and Dementors at my summer residence. That is an overdue discussion."

With that, Harry turned to the open trunk and jumped inside. Draco joined him after a polite nod to the Aurors and a sneer at Fudge. With a swirl of his cloak, the Headmaster gathered the trunk and rocketed into the sky on his custom broom. As he flew unnoticeable to those without magic and invisible to those with it, Aurogon sent a messenger patronus to the Prime Minister's magical bodyguards asking them to please inform their boss that the threat was over, and requesting they inform him of any repairs needed beneath the city.

.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.

Inside the trunk, Harry strode over to an ice chest and withdrew a bottle of coke. The ice chest was just a clever use of cooling charms applied to a cabinet that kept the interior just perfect for drinks, both magical and mundane. Though it was about four in the afternoon, Harry still had a lot to do. Now that the goblin rebellion was over he needed to visit Goldrinn's shrine, and he didn't dare put that off for long. Sitting down in a very comfortable chair he watched Susan and Draco pick out their own drinks, picking out orange soda and root beer respectively, both apparently eager to try something new. Pitching his voice to be heard by everyone relaxing after a rather stressful confrontation, Harry began laying a false trail for Voldemort, very aware that Draco reported often to his father through an enchanted item that worked like a phone or radio. "So, does anyone know of any mountains that might be considered 'sacred?'"

Jason Atreides, knowing exactly what Harry was doing, responded. "There's a few that come to mind, but I don't know of any with connections to wolves. Mount Sinai in the Middle East, Mount Fuji in Japan, or maybe Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa are the ones I've heard of. But if I were you I'd look for something in either North America or Europe if you're looking for a wolf shrine."

Fishing for information, Draco spoke up. "What was that creature and how did you summon it anyway Potter? If the Headmaster's right about the wolf creatures it summoned to you, it sounds like it might be connected to the Lycanthropy curse."

Pleased this was going so well, Harry decided to mix a little truth in with the story he wanted Voldemort to hear. "I might have accidentally touched a small statue of a wolf buried in the rubble of my family home. It just sort of glowed and then turned to dust in my hand. When I transfigured a wolf afterwards, it felt like there was something breathing down my neck and the wolf lasted longer than it should have, so I stopped making them. Then during the battle I decided to make a big wolf to help get Hagrid and I back to safety, but something reached out and took control of the magic from me. If you think that whole 'apex predator right behind me' feeling was bad back at the school, it was nothing compared to having it right next to you."

Susan took control of the conversation then. "I don't know about anyone else, but it felt good to hear Fudge get taken down a few pegs today. I know your father is one of his biggest supporters Draco…"

With a snort Draco stopped nursing his root beer. "I am rather displeased that the Minister not only allowed that army to assault the school but did nothing to help us when they did. Any fool knows that blocking magical travel means you're under attack, but did Fudge even think to check on Hogwarts? No, he had no idea what was happening until the paper went out this morning."

Harry spoke up again. "Well Fudge is an idiot. I think we all know he's only the Minister because he's a useful idiot to some people. But on days like we had yesterday there are downsides to having idiots in charge of your government."

From there the conversation turned to more mundane topics. Harry found himself amused at how Draco appeared thoughtful as the topic of restoring Hogsmead came up and Professor McGonagall shared that the Headmaster intended to make the reconstruction into a learning experience. While not the most exciting subject, knowing how to build and reinforce a structure with magic seemed like terribly useful skills. Harry had the feeling the rebuilt Hogsmead would be a fair bit more impressive than the town that had burned down. In a room near the wing where the Hogsmead villagers were staying a wall had been covered in 'pictures' that were actually pensieve-taken photos of Dalaran, Darnassus, and a variety of locations in Quel'Thalas. Based on the first draft of the plans he'd seen for rebuilding the town ten times bigger than it was before, complete with streams winding through and several parks with small lakes, to say nothing of the gleaming towers, Hogsmead would truly be impressive.

.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.

After returning to the castle, Harry made his way down into the Chamber of Secrets. Hermione and Caliona had taken charge of preparing his supplies for a trip to Hyjal, which in this case basically just meant stuffing things into the Cube. If everything went well he could just take a portkey to Hyjal, fly to Goldrinn's shrine and be done in an hour. Harry decided to do a few extra things during the trip however, and had tracked Fleur Delacour down to where she had been staying since Bill Weasley and a number of Twilight dragons had rescued her. He hadn't had time to interact with those saved from the vault, but after his followers had explained everything going on in Britain most of those from the vault had decided to stand with him instead of the Ministry. Harry quickly added a dozen wizards and witches to the ranks of his oathsworn and sent them to tell their families they were okay, buy magical tents, and move to the Hogwarts grounds until Hogsmead was rebuilt.

Harry had sought out Fleur in particular because he wanted to offer her the chance to meet the Ancient who was the origin of the Veela. Though hesitant, she agreed and joined the expedition group that were walking into the Cube. Once inside Fleur admitted the structure was impressive, the gardens and parks had been maintained and expanded by Dobby and a few other elves.

Just as he was leaving, the Headmaster asked Harry to take a package to Azurewing Repose. Figuring it would only add a few more minutes on his day, Harry agreed. Given the defender's victory at Hyjal, Harry's Black and Twilight drakes stayed home this time and instead Harry took Alira, Dalistraza, Senastrasz, and Stine. Hermione, Fleur, Remus and Sirius rounded out the group. Sirius continued to improve, the combination of companionship, healing magic, and useful tasks were working wonders on him. Goldrinn directly altering his animagus form had also had an effect, and not just on his suddenly voracious appetite. (Their healers believed that however Goldrinn had added to the mass of Sirius's animagus form, the magic wanted more food to bolster the new muscle and bone.) Sirius moved with confidence again, another effect of twelve years with the Dementors fading away.

.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.

At Azurewing Harry was once again met by Stellagosa, granddaughter of Senegos and by now a familiar face. As he handed off yet another expanded trunk he shared a pleasant conversation with the Blue drake about the differences between Lycanthropy and Worgenism. Now curious, Stellagosa asked to accompany him to Goldrinn's shrine to observe Goldrinn 'twisting a curse into a blessing.' Having no objections, Harry responded. "I don't mind, so long as you let someone know you're coming with me. Your grandfather still scares me."

With a laugh, Stellagosa led him past the massive illusionary barrier and into the halls of the Azurewing settlement. After a brief reunion with Jagragosa who was continuing to experiment with mixing Earth's and Azeroth's magic from Azurewing's hatchery while watching over her clutch Harry handed her a second package and left after a few moments of pleasantries. Stellagosa strangely remained outside the room and refused to look inside.

(When he had walked into the room where Jagragosa was singing softly to her clutch in draconic, a rush of emotions had hit Harry like a punch to the gut. Azeroth's dragons were awake, were sentient, inside their shells as they grew, and sometimes this presented a problem. If a whelp grew scared or panicked in their shells, it was possible for them to thrash and break their eggs prematurely. Much like a human born too early, if this happened there was only so much that could be done for them. Stella had been told enough about Harry's life that she said nothing as his eyes grew wet as they walked to the edge of the wards.

With how much her people had lost, Stellagosa knew exactly how fortunate she was to still have her father. (She also suspected, but didn't dare to hope that the boy beside her would rescue her mother from the Demons that had hunted down and murdered her not long before the Dark Portal reopened.) As they walked, Harry activated the speak-stone in his armor and asked Hermione to make sure the next package sent to Azurewing included everything modern medicine had on the treatment of premature births. Once they were clear of the wards Stellagosa moved into the Cube and Harry used Azeroth's Teleport spell to take them close to Aviana's shrine.)

.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.

At Aviana's shrine Alira, Fleur, and Hedwig stepped out of the Cube and declared themselves to the guards. Fleur had grown more interested in meeting the progenitor of her species as they traveled, Alira had volunteered to be her guide and translator, and Hedwig enjoyed both Aviana's company and the extremely compatible magic the Ancient gave off with every breath. Hedwig was easily recognized as she rested on Alira's elven shoulder, and a message was quickly carried to Aviana. After the owl had humiliated a guard on her first visit, no one wanted to annoy the beautiful avian. Aviana's shrine was probably the safest place in all of Hyjal, and between the three of them Harry was sure they'd be safe. If nothing else Aviana had declared her shrine a sanctuary for all creatures of the sky. Fleur couldn't fly, but she was a distant descendant of the Ancient herself, so they really should be fine for a couple of hours.

From there Harry accepted a ride on Dalistraza for the relatively short flight to Goldrinn's shrine. Both human and drake enjoyed the time together. Flying together Harry could feel the bond he had with the drake beneath him; he could sense the trust she had in him. It made for a powerfully emotional time as they flew and both of them kept their eyes open for any threats; Hyjal was only 'mostly' safe now. Most of the half hour flight consisted of Dali ascending on the thermals that were apparently 'just right' as they approached noon in local time.

Goldrinn's shrine was located in a valley, and Harry had decided to land on the edge and walk down the road to the shrine. On a whim, Harry transfigured a small wolf and sent it to request an audience with the Ancient. When he opened the door to the Cube those inside walked out and took in the scenery while Harry shrunk the Cube and returned it to his exceptionally large pockets. It was an odd group that strode down the quiet mountain road towards the shrine that sat at the bottom of the valley. Stine remained in his feline form, not wanting anyone to question him as to his name, mission, or place in the timeline. Senastrasz was walking in shining armor with his favorite shield over his shoulder and a gleaming blade resting at his side. Sirius was bouncing around the path in his new animagus form, sniffing everything with a happy expression on his face, while Remus was also clearly excited but somewhat more reserved. Hermione walked at Harry's right side as Dalistraza in her natural form walked on his left. Stellagosa, curious and eager, walked slightly behind the group in her anthromagus form of a High Elf with blue hair and eyes.

After walking for half a mile, when they were nearly halfway there, Sirius shed his new animagus form and walked closer to the group. "The air here smells incredible, it's so fresh and vibrant and alive! Also there's a bit of sulfur on the wind for some reason."

Harry couldn't help but laugh at that. "When the cultists attacked the mountain they brought a piece of the Firelands into Azeroth and gave the mountain a seemingly permanent lava field. I saw they've planted some of our Hoarfrost Pines along the ridge lines nearest the lava. I don't know if they'll be enough to cool that area off. I'm going to ask the druids why they don't open a portal with no liquid filter under some freshwater lake and just drown the lava that way."

Stellagosa paused for a moment, falling behind the group and laughed lightly as she sprinted to catch up. "Harry, I'm honestly surprised no one has tried that yet. There's a bunch of places in Northrend we could use for water, just have to be careful we don't bring in water contaminated with the Plague. Howling Fjord has at least two lakes we could use…"

Harry spoke up, cutting off the Blue drake. "We don't even need to waste that much water. What if we opened a portal under the lava and dumped it in the ocean somewhere? Does your grandfather want a bigger island? Though I'm not sure how much bigger Azsuna would actually get…"

Groaning aloud, Stellagosa briefly buried her face in her hands before she pulled out a blue crystal orb. After a moment it glowed, producing an image of Senegos who spoke urgently. "Are you alright granddaughter?"

With a sigh she visibly relaxed. "I'm fine grandfather! Mage Potter just had an idea and I wanted to know if it would work. On Mount Hyjal there's a lava field that shouldn't be there. Do you think we could open a portal under the lava and drain it into the ocean to expand our island? He also suggested opening a portal under a freshwater lake to quench the lava."

After a moment of thought where the ancient Blue wyrm considered things under his breath, Senegos responded. "I believe that would work. Be careful and you have my permission to try. I'm going to send a group to Howling Fjord in three hours to give you exact coordinates to portal some water in if that works for you. Oh, and dump the lava in that natural harbor the Watchers use. They've been exceptionally poor neighbors for a very long time."

With a predatory smile on her elven face, Stellagosa replied and pocketed the crystal. "Of course grandfather. I'll try to have the lava cleared in three or four hours, we're almost at Goldrinn's shrine."

Sirius and Remus missed most of that exchange thanks to the language barrier, but did notice the elven dragon's expressions. In English Harry quickly paraphrased his suggestions and explained that a group of magic-hating elves was about to get pranked. With lava. Because when you're dismissive, rude, and borderline hostile to a colony of magic-using dragons for thousands of years, you deserve what you get.

As they began their descent into the valley the group passed near a collapsed cave, in an event that Harry would forever be convinced was purposeful on the part of Goldrinn, a small platoon of Twilight Hammer's cultists stumbled out into daylight as a small part of the hillside gave way. For a brief moment the cultists, counting among their nineteen members at least one example of each of Azeroth's common sapient species, (save the Draenei, who weren't big on doomsday cults apparently) stared dumbly at the group walking down the mountain trail. Then Harry shot a Chain Lightning spell and killed what looked to be their only shield bearer. As the lightning bounced between several other cultists, only strong enough to daze them as it lost strength, the rest of Harry's group moved into position.

Taking point Senas' shield quickly blocked a bolt of purple magic that felt evil, as his sister returned to her human shape and prepared to mend wounds as needed. Sirius and Remus began transfiguring like their lives depended on it as Hermione wove an unstable ball of flame and flicked it into the middle of the enemy formation. Stellagosa helped out by conjuring a blizzard with razor-sharp ice that tore at the cultists. Stine got his bow out and began picking them off quickly. Harry gave a shout and then apparated into a tree behind the cultists to pelt them with various lethal spells. "I want some of them alive!"

Five minutes later as the last unprepared (and honestly, exhausted from digging themselves out of a collapsed tunnel) cultists fell to the ground bound in conjured ropes (Harry hurriedly dismissed the ropes when he saw they were moving on their own and re-applied the spell with a crimson red blush.) everyone was glad Harry had insisted they wear armor. They ended up taking seven prisoners, the female Tauren, elves, and Humans that had worked as the cultist's support team. Harry had a spare expanded trunk on him and between Hermione and Stellagosa it was soon turned into a serviceable prison for the prisoners deep in an enchanted sleep. Stella offered to take them back to Azurewing, mentioning that after their interrogation they could be made useful in lieu of the generally agreed death sentence for joining Azeroth's number one doomsday cult.

The corpses and all the cultist's gear got thrown in another trunk to be burned by Harry's Twilight dragons. The general opinion was that it was a little distasteful, but given their goal of empowering a Dragon Aspect there was no room to be squeamish with sources of magic. Plus, taking the corpses home to burn left the mountain looking cleaner. Despite the bloodshed the group finished their journey in high spirits. Harry also decided to ask where all the expanded trunks were coming from. He was sure there had been some in the Room of Lost Things, but was beginning to suspect that Hogwarts elves with woodworking skill were creating more, like a little elven assembly line.

.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.

When Harry and company entered the small encampment that stood before the gleaming white statue of Goldrinn, he found himself somewhat unimpressed. For some reason he had expected something more than a single statue and a few battered columns of white stone. Unsurprisingly, Goldrinn himself was waiting for them with a canine grin on his face; and the white wolf was even larger than the avatar that had fought at Hogwarts. Harry gave a polite nod of his head but did not bow; he wanted to be respectful but he had no intention of worshiping the Ancient. Also, showing weakness in front of Goldrinn just seemed like a terrible idea. Those with him followed their Lord's example.

With a somewhat challenging note in his voice, the Great Wolf locked eyes with Harry and spoke. "So you find my shrine disappointing mage? Then I challenge you to make it better."

Feeling like stepping down from a challenge and apologizing for his thoughts, and how Harry wished these Ancients would stay out of his head, would be taken as weakness, Harry drew his wand. Basilisk heartstring and Crimson Oak sang in his hand, and Harry smiled. There were four places on the path that lead up to where the gleaming white statue of Goldrinn sat where newly-scrubbed pillars of white stone sat. They would be Harry's canvas. Bringing to mind everything he knew about Goldrinn, Harry kept in mind the Ancient's failing, his inability to truly control his savagery and blood lust. A lecture from Jagragosa about the Loa, beings similar but distinct from the Ancients, came to his mind. With magic and creatures like Goldrinn who weren't just flesh and blood but something more, sometimes perception became reality. If only savage berserkers called on Goldrinn it would reinforce his failing. If he was called on by noble men and women desperate to protect their homes and loved ones, it might have a positive effect on the Ancient himself. Bring purpose to Goldrinn's violence.

In the first open space, he transfigured the existing stone into several figures. As Harry's wand danced and the stone changed, a wolf that was obviously meant to be Goldrinn, carefully made smaller than the existing statue, was standing between a winged demon and a smaller wolf, meant to be one of his children. The statue was wounded, one of it's shoulders stained dark around a broken spear lodged deep; but still the statue snarled at its attacker and was preparing to leap forward and protect its young. In the second space, Harry showed Goldrinn leading a pack of wolves and Worgen on a hunt; together they were chasing down a massive Talbuk. (Harry very purposefully chose not to show them hunting a deer, because one of the other Ancients was a massive stag. No point offending powerful creatures if he didn't have to.)

In the third and fourth spaces, Harry dared to look the Ancient directly in his eyes, a silent request for source material. Goldrinn fulfilled his request and Harry was nearly overcome by memories of the War of the Ancients ten-thousand years ago. With a deep breath to center himself, Harry worked his wand again, and a memory was brought into the physical world. In the third space Goldrinn fought alone, surrounded by demons on every side, some even larger than himself. It was a hopeless battle, but one that needed to be fought. After a moment, Harry altered it slightly to show Goldrinn ripping the throat out of a pit lord even larger than himself. Living siege engines of the Burning Legion, the pit lords were massive demons that shared a general shape with Centaur, Tol'vir, and Dragonspawn.

For the fourth scene, Harry had to think for a moment about how to present the memory. After a moment, Harry looked up at the sheer cliff side above the shrine and smiled. Though it took longer than the other three put together, Goldrinn's last memory before he fell into the long sleep ten-thousand years ago took shape. The Ancient had died, his body eventually falling to the weapons and might of the demons in the battle Harry showed opposite the final scene. When Harry finished, stretching up into the sheer cliffs that surrounded Goldrinn's shrine was a depiction of Eldre'Thalas, a Night Elven city under siege from countless demons. In the foreground, a transparent Goldrinn made of slightly opaque white glass led a squad of Night Elves through cover, bypassing the battle lines, to a line of demonic siege engines assailing the city. Further away, another Goldrinn, this one less transparent, led the fight against the demons.

After a quick consultation with Hermione, Harry placed a tiny Bluebell flame inside the closer Goldrinn and a much brighter one inside the one fighting the demons. Harry added small flames to the torches of the elves stalking the Legion's siege weapons; after passing through the glass, the ones within the wolf statues were an eerie off-white with a tinge of blue while the ones on the torches were their normal color. Looking at the other scenes briefly, Harry spent the next few moments making several attempts to create a bluebell flame that was the right color. Once he had it, he went back and altered the first three depictions of Goldrinn, giving the statues a gleaming glow once the flames were inside. Each representation appeared as if they were exuding moonlight. (Or rather they would once night came.)

Standing back, Harry took a quick look at all his additions, touching them up in a few places. "If you approve of the changes I can make them permanent. I think the enchanted fire should be permanent as it is, there's enough magic in the air here to maintain it..."

Harry trailed off as the group watched the Ancient move to the fourth scene and bring his head close to the wolf that was fighting the demonic horde alongside the elves. A dozen figures had joined Harry's group at this point, most of them Worgen, all were silent as the Great Wolf began to speak. "My mortal sons fought so hard against the Legion in that war, I only wish they had been remembered as well as I." Briefly the Ancient looked back at Harry before he took in the other scenes. "When I fell my strongest sons knew, and they offered me their forms, let me take their bodies as avatars to continue the fight. They were so brave, even when my essence consumed them they sacrificed willingly for the good of the world. Yes, Mage, I want your changes to my shrine to remain as long as Mount Hyjal itself. I will speak with you more later, I wish to remember my sons for a time."

.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.

Along with the Azerothians staying at Goldrinn's shrine, Harry's group walked further downhill in the valley and circled part way around a small lake fed by a clear stream. With the rather long day they've had so far, Harry soon found himself dozing in the shade of a tree, the quiet burbling of the lake and warm breeze relaxing him. After about an hour of solitude the Great Wolf approached the group, his presence stopping the various conversations going around. Harry, now very alert, looked at the wolf as he chugged a small vial of wakefulness potion. Together with Remus, he approached Goldrinn. His voice now calmer than before, the Ancient spoke. "Thank you Harry Potter. Now, cursed wolf, I will keep my promise to you."

For several moments, the wolf gazed at Remus as if searching him out down to his very soul. After leaning his enormous muzzle directly on the werewolf's neck and taking a deep inhale, the wolf leaned back and looked thoughtful. After a moment the Ancient crossed the lake, which could also be called a large pond, and walked up to ancient ruins on the island there. With no hesitation, Goldrinn threaded one of his claws into a gap between two large stones and violently twisted his paw. Reaching down, he took the claw in his mouth and finished tearing it free. Returning to the group watching from across the water, the Ancient set the severed claw in front of Harry and dripped blood from his paw onto the claw as he focused on it, eyes glowing.

Several moments later, apparently finished, he turned his gaze on Harry. "Take my claw, Mage. When his wolf is in control, give the cursed wolf any wound that draws blood and my blessing will merge him and the wolf within. It will not quell the rage of the tortured wolf spirit that exists within your friend, because that is something I cannot do, even for myself."

Gingerly picking up the sword-sized claw, (being extremely careful not to nick himself with the sharp edges) Harry considered it for a moment and spoke. "My people use potions that can force calm or rage on someone for a time, if I were to give Remus potions that force rational thought and calm thinking, would that affect the creature he becomes?"

A booming laugh and a broad smile was his only answer. As the wolf began to turn away, Harry asked him to wait. With a nod to Dali, still in her human form, she darted in to apply her healing magic to Goldrinn's still bleeding paw. As she worked, Harry spoke again. "We're going to try draining the lava field to the south, would you like to join us? If there's any organized resistance left I feel like they might try to stop us."

As Dalistraza walked away, having finished her healing by returning to her true form and breathing life-fire over the wound, Goldrinn let out a deep laugh. "If there are enemies there I will join you. Remembering my sons has left me with the urge to kill something that deserves death."

.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.

Leaving Goldrinn behind to once more lose himself in his memories at the sculpture of the battle outside Eldre'Thalas, Harry and his group began the return trip to Aviana's shrine, with the accidental addition of Goldrinn's followers. Harry was very careful in not answering most of their questions, only telling them that he had encountered Goldrinn's avatar and it had aided him against an enemy. As everyone mounted some kind of flying object, not wanting the Cube to become common knowledge on Azeroth just yet, Harry sent out a few messenger patroni. One went to Alira and the other to Choluna, the Tauren he had met at Aviana's shrine. He also opened a mirror and asked Nicolas Flamel if he would be willing to brew a few potions to assist in a cure for Lycanthropy. By the time they arrived at Aviana's Shrine the Guardians of Hyjal were already massing for an operation to reclaim the land that was currently molten lava around the physical incursion from the Firelands. There was, however, a surprise waiting for Harry.

.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.

The moment he landed and replaced his Blue disc in his pocket, Harry found himself being shrieked at in French by a Harpy, but one slightly different from Aviana or the species' norm. This one had the beautiful, inhuman features and the usual raptor's legs, but instead of its arms doubling as wings a massive pair of wings the same color as Aviana's feathers graced her back. Fleur's, and this could only be Fleur since she was the only French speaker on the planet, (Unless the French had somehow breached the Room of Requirement without anyone knowing. Harry's English pride quickly discarded that possibility.) arms now ended in vicious talons which were gesturing wildly in her anger. Harry looked to Alira, who seemed more amused than alarmed. Apparently whatever had happened to the Veela woman had also destroyed her clothing, as she was now wearing a replica of what Aviana did; which amounted to 'almost nothing.' After taking a quick glance at her form to note the changes, Harry firmly focused on the Veela's eyes, ignoring the temptation to enjoy the view of a very agitated, very healthy bird woman. (Harry didn't realize it, but both of his consorts noted that action and resolved to reward him for it later.)

With a sigh, Harry briefly shouted to get Fleur's attention and then continued in a normal volume. "Fleur! I don't speak French. If you want me to understand you, you need to speak in Common, Darnassian, Draconic, English, or Parseltongue. What happened?"

Oddly, his question only prompted further screaming in French, so it was Alira that answered. "Fleur apparently didn't believe me when I told her that the Ancients are omni-lingual. She made a statement about how she was glad her people had risen from their bestial roots. Aviana did not take that insult with a smile, and she did something that seems to have awakened a lot of dormant ancestral genes in our Veela here. Fleur does not appreciate her new form."

Stellagosa, still in her elven form, had come closer and was closely inspecting Fleur. Lost in her analysis, she spoke without seemingly being aware of it. "Fascinating." This did not calm the young woman with a new set of wings.

Still having no idea what Fleur was saying, Harry sighed and stunned her, but caught her with a levitation charm and placed her in one of his expanded trunks on a comfortable bed with a sticking charm. When he saw the surprised looks, especially from Sirius and Remus, Harry groaned and explained. "When she's calmed down a bit she'll appreciate that I didn't let her continue to aggravate the Ancient that's watching us from her perch in the tree."

There was a mixed reaction at that, some of Harry's sworn thinking that made logical sense while others thought Fleur would not take being stunned and stuck to a bed in stride. In any case, Harry cast a sound-amplifying charm and spoke again, this time in Common. "My group is going to try draining and cooling the lava patch around the 'Sulfuron Spire' Firelands incursion. I don't know if we can force that area back into the Firelands, but we can make it harder for them to keep it on Hyjal. Anyone here willing to protect us as we work?"

.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.

It turned out that more than a few people were interested in providing protection for someone who wanted to at least attempt repelling the incursion. The Firelands were a part of the Elemental Plane, a truly massive pocket dimension that contained the elemental creatures of Azeroth. The small part of it that had manifested around a single spire of a larger fortress was an invasion, and so far nothing had been effective in forcing the 'Sulfuron Spire' back where it belonged. Harry was surprised to find so many druids either meeting them on the way or already waiting as close to the shores of the lava as they dared.

In any case, Stellagosa applied several dozen layers of protective magic to herself and several volunteers and approached the edge of the lava while Harry floated nearby on his disc. Several Druids and Aviana herself, accepted the protective magic Stellagosa had offered and hovered close to Harry. It took a few tries for Stellagosa to purposefully not include the liquid filter that kept portal magic from doing exactly what they wanted it to do, but after ten minutes the lava started to move. It actually looked like someone had pulled a drain below as lava rushed in to fill the created gap. Just off an island far away, a great amount of steam began to boil up from the ocean.

Moving a few hundred feet away, they repeated the process. Everything went smoothly until they were setting up a fifth portal and the level of the lava had noticeably begun to fall. Almost out of nowhere, creatures made of living flame began to boil up out of the lava, surging towards those protecting Stellagosa. Making a decision on behalf of whoever was actually in charge of the task force, Harry told Stella to get on a disc and join him above the sudden battle. Surprisingly she did and even moved into immediate action when Harry called for her to open a portal into cold ocean water. The near-freezing water did provide relief from the blazing heat and dulled the offensive from the creatures of living flame, but it also created vast clouds of steam. Thankfully Aviana and several druids easily kept the steam from scalding their forces. With less urgency, Stellagosa contacted the group of Blue dragons Senegos had sent to Howling Fjord on the continent of Northrend and received exact coordinates to open portals that poured some of the contents of freshwater rivers and lakes onto the lava.

After that, Harry watched as Stella opened more portals and delivered lava to places he didn't strictly need to be aware of, and so chose not to be. In the end, they actually emptied nearly two-thirds of the lava out and replaced it with frigid water. As they watched on the rapidly cooling shoreline as the water filled the once-beautiful plain and formed a lake that was barely boiling at all, Harry accepted a flask of water from a helpful druid trainee (he checked it for poisons discreetly, no need to offend anyone) and watched Stellagosa converse with two of the Hyjal's leading Druids and three ancients. This was the first time he'd seen Cenarius in person, and the only thing he could think of was how much the demigod looked like someone had sewn a Night Elf's torso onto the neck of a gigantic deer. Seemingly not a huge fan of the leading Night Elf Druid, Goldrinn looked like he was only staying long enough to get his new burns treated.

Moving closer, he heard Stellagosa explaining the most reasonable plan going forward. "I'll be back to check on the new lake when I can get a suitable escort. We took the water mostly from Howling Fjord, but not enough to empty the lakes. If the lava comes back I recommend we use a glacier in the Storm Peaks and use portals to drop lava above and drain the resulting melt here."

The following discussion reinforced Harry's opinion of Malfurion Stormrage, who apparently thought magic was evil even when he himself was a powerful practitioner of a slightly different flavor of magic. Apparently the downside of giving a species immortality is that old prejudices never have time to die out. When a Green wyrm landed and politely but firmly asked Stellagosa for her name, then further insisted on knowing whose orders she followed, things became tense. Harry tapped on his speak-stone twice, a signal that his group should be ready for combat. When the Green declared Stellagosa under arrest for following a traitor, Harry began desperately planning a way to get Stellagosa and his own people away safely. Somehow Harry didn't think Senegos would be very happy if their next meeting involved plans to rescue his granddaughter.

He almost missed Stellagosa's impassioned speech. "My grandfather is no traitor! He has dedicated his life to the protection of our people, and not just the Blue Dragonflight! Senegos will see all of our people free from the Titan's slavery or die trying! No longer will we serve beings who command us to murder our children!"

Seeing how her last line drew gasps from the audience, Stella continued. "Did you not know? When the Titans bound the five Dragonflight to their will, they imparted a piece of their essence that binds us to their service. When dragons mate outside their Dragonflight, the enchantment that binds every new generation is broken. That is why the highest law the Titans gave us is that if we mate outside our color of dragon, male, female, and all children are to be murdered. Senegos has long been uneasy with that law, but when he found empirical proof that the Titan's words that the resulting children would be self-destructive monsters was a lie, he could no longer serve false gods."

Sadly Stellagosa's words had no effect on the Green wyrm, save that he became angry. When he moved as if he was going to strike the Blue drake Goldrinn, who had been lounging not far behind Stella suddenly moved to stand over her. "Wyrm, I think you're being exceedingly rude. This drake has done nothing against us today; her only actions involved the deaths of a band of cultists near my shrine and the creation of Sulfuron Lake behind us. You seem like a new wyrm, not old enough to understand manners. Besides, I think you're wrong. I don't think Stellagosa is under arrest." The Great Wolf paused to let out a loud laugh. "Aviana? Do you think she is under arrest?"

Harry appreciated how tense the atmosphere became as the assembled group waited for the avian Ancient's response. Stine was nearby hastily lacing arrows with their sleeping poison strong enough to down a wyrm with enough hits, Sirius and Remus keeping him from being seen. Aviana's shrieking laugh rang out across the ash-covered field chosen for a resting place after dousing the lava field. "No, I don't think she's under arrest. It would be rude to let her be carried away after she's worked so hard in our interests, Goldrinn. Besides, responding to truth with violence doesn't speak well in this one's favor…"

Cenarius interrupted Aviana, speaking over her. "The Dragonflights are not slaves! This drake needs to be held to account for spreading her grandfather's lies!"

Not allowing the apparently friendly Ancients to speak for her, Stellagosa responded. Harry was beginning to see why Senegos was training her to one day lead the Azurewing; Stella was magically skilled, fiercely protective when the situation called for, and fearless in front of those that dwarfed her own power. (From what Harry understood, Senegos had hoped Aurogos would one day lead their people as Aspect, but the bitterness of the Nexus War and the events that led the drake to Earth made that an impossibility.) "Lord Cenarius, if you spent so many years living with the Green Dragonflight and remained as ignorant to the chains that bind them as Ysera herself, I would not want you as a friend. My grandfather will see Ysera's eyes opened to the truth, and her children will live free. Even this fool.

"Lord Cenarius, go to Ysera and the other dragons. Ask them about the Titan's law forbidding us to choose our own mates. Then speak to as many dragons as you can until you find that not one dragon except for the Brood of Senegos and those enslaved by the Old Gods can have so much as a bad thought about the Titans. They don't even allow us freedom within our own minds. Go, and learn the truth if you're brave enough. Once you understand, Senegos would welcome your aid in saving our kind."

All in all, it was a good thing Stellagosa had reached a stopping point because the Green wyrm screamed one word, 'Heretic,' with as much venom as possible (But thankfully did not attack with his breath attack, which with a Green dragon was usually actual venom mixed with acid.) and lunged at Stella, jaws wide. Which is when Harry sent the massive transfigured chains he'd been working on just under the top layer of soil to bind the wyrm. At the same time Goldrinn lunged forward to deflect the attack and Stine began sinking 'sleepytime arrows' into the wyrm's flank. Normally arrows would have just bounced off the thick scales, but it turned out a few charms from Earth applied to each arrow countered nearly any armor.

As the Green wyrm slowly collapsed into unconsciousness, Harry directed his stone chains to bind and muzzle the rather large dragon so that he was incapable of movement or hurting himself if he struggled. When he was asked how he got so good at restraining dragons as he began layering binding magic by curious Druids Harry blushed crimson and pointedly ignored the question. He was spared further uncomfortable questions when Stellagosa spoke again.

"That is part of what was done to us. Nearly all dragons are calm, reasonable people at our core but the Titan's bindings are always there, beneath the surface just waiting for the right trigger to do this," She gestured to the wyrm now falling into slumber. "to us. Since Senegos has chosen to free our people, I've studied the Aspects. Alexstrasza has my deepest respect, because I can see the way she dances around those triggers whenever she can. Because of how the magic affects us, she can't be conscious of what she's doing, but her very nature compels her to minimize death and suffering wherever she can. She is a kind, loving creature and whenever she can, she finds a way to let that guide her.

"The Aspects are chained tighter than any other; we don't even know how to free them yet. But we will! One way or another our people will be free from both the Titans and the Old Gods! Even now my grandfather's Black and Twilight prisoners are being freed from the foul corruption that warps them into monsters."

Again proving Harry's opinion of him, Malfurion Stormrage spoke. "Those evil creatures are beyond saving. We can only put them down for their own good and the good of the world."

Harry gripped his spear very tightly at that. Until Stellagosa spoke again, Harry was finding it difficult to remember why he shouldn't attack the Arch-Druid. (Oh right: despite looking like a ridiculous mix of Kaldorei, stag, and harpy, Arch-Druid was not an empty title. Harry couldn't protect his loved ones if he was dead.) With a sneer worthy of Severus Snape, Stellagosa responded.

"Those dragons corrupted by the Old Gods can be saved, they are being saved! Be silent you stupid elf! You have never seen a drake so wrapped in darkness he doesn't know up from down but is still trying! You've never listened to a Black whelp sob over their weaker siblings they killed when rage and hate that wasn't their own turned them into a newly-hatched killer! You've never held a Twilight drake down to keep them from killing themselves when for the first time they saw their actions without the darkness that forced them to murder and burn and enjoy it! You've never had to convince anyone that what they've done wasn't them, that what their body did while under the sway of evil gods wasn't their fault, that being tortured until they'd give anything, serve anything, if only the pain would stop doesn't make them undeserving of love and compassion. You've never had to convince someone it wasn't their fault they were weaker than a god. You've never had your grandfather, who you love so much, directly order you to stay out of the hatchery because if you so much as stepped foot inside your own triggers would have you bathe in the blood of innocents."

By then, Stellagosa had sparking purple energy cupped in both hands and tears pouring out of her eyes. Snarling at an unrepentant Arch-Druid and his stupid horns, she focused at bit of the rage she felt at him. As he opened his mouth to speak with a patronizing look on his face, Stella spoke again. "You know what, just shut up. I hope you get eaten by a Devilsaur."

Deciding to end the conversation the Blue drake opened a portal beneath the soil of Malfurion's feet and kept it open only long enough for him to fall through the portal to Un'Goro Crater. More than one person in attendance recognized the moist jungle air with a slight scent of reptile and volcano. Goldrinn was the only one to comment on it however. "Ah, I miss hunting in Un'Goro. Lots of tasty reptiles, and some were big enough to be a real challenge too. Once the world is safe I'll have to return."

As everyone caught their breath Harry noted there were a surprising number of Druids amused their leader had just been given a 'time out' at the other end of the continent. Harry pulled out an expanded trunk Stine had handed him just before they left. This one was decorated to look similar to the stasis device used by the Blue Dragonflight, and Harry would almost swear someone had used pieces of the device that had carried Valistraza and her much-varied brood to Earth. With the faceplate of his armor firmly in place Harry walked over to the slumbering and bound wyrm and let the big dragon fall onto cushioning charms below as the trunk's enchanted opening distorted to let the larger dragon enter. Calmly, Harry walked over the center of attention, and showed the contents of the trunk to Cenarius and a Tauren he'd learned was named Hamuul Runetotem, who thanks to Stellagosa was now the highest-ranked mortal druid on Mount Hyjal.

Cenarius seemed somewhat disgusted by the use of magic, but Hamuul seemed intrigued by the dragon sleeping in the (fancy) expanded trunk on a pile of very large cushions, even sticking his arm inside in curiosity. When he moved to show it to the other ancients, they waved him off. Aviana let out a small chuckle as she spoke. "I'm aware of your skill with making things larger inside Mage. How is your Arboretum?"

With a smile beneath his helmet, Harry responded as he handed the trunk over to Stellagosa who closed and shrunk it. "It's doing well. I regret releasing rabbits inside, but the whelps are happy to keep the population under control."

"Please be careful everyone. We live in a dangerous world. Hamuul, this wyrm's mind is not his own. We can help him at Azurewing Repose and if you keep an open mind you would be welcome to visit. The process will likely take several months to complete and once he's free he'll be an outcast to those still enslaved. Or I can release him into your care, the choice is yours." With those final words from Stellagosa, the gathered group began to break up, each going their own separate ways.

While a traditionally minded individual, Hamuul was neither blind nor a fool, so he decided to find the truth of this debate for himself. "I would like to speak with your grandfather myself before I decide. Is that a problem?"

"Not at all Arch-Druid. Please follow me and wait for one of the wyrms to lead you through the defenses." With that the now calmer drake opened one last portal and led the Druid through, Hamuul now carrying the trunk himself after Stellagosa offered it to him. Hamuul paused to assure Cenarius he would discover the truth then act accordingly, and Harry found himself much more impressed with Hamuul than with Malfurion. Harry's group quickly walked through the open portal and bid their goodbyes to Stellagosa. Harry assumed she was safe, if for no other reason than there were two wyrms and three dragons along with a dozen drakes waiting for them.

Once Hamuul was out of sight Harry ushered everyone into the Cube and triggered his portkey to return to the cave where Elune's Portal rested. After divesting himself of anything that shouldn't be seen at Hogwarts, Harry led Hermione down to the Great Hall for an early breakfast. He didn't really notice, nor would he have cared if he did, that he was leaving a trail of ash or that he smelled like a volcano. After a filling meal, he and Hermione returned to the Room of Requirement and stripped out of their armor, snuggling around Alira who had already fallen asleep. All three were in need of a shower, but that could wait until they'd gotten some sleep; an advantage of sleeping in the Room was that the sheets weren't real so they never needed to be changed.

.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.

As the dawn's light rolled across England, Cornelius Fudge and Delores Umbridge were finalizing their plans. Harry Potter and Headmaster Salonar had to be removed. After one delivery of their paper, they were already too popular, and rumors of what had been said in Diagon Alley had spread beyond their ability to control. Already there was talk that the Ministry was rotten, that they had persecuted Harry Potter and his godfather out of fear. Fear of what the boy could be, what he could grow into. It was distressing how much a few days could restore the reputation of a child hero, at least when he was seen performing new magic with the aid of students he was very much known not to like, or fighting goblins with a spear and transfiguration. The current topic of interest was bad for their administration, so the obvious answer was to distract the sheep with a new story, like jangling keys in front of a toddler. It was times like this it was good to have the entire 'reputable' media under their thumb. After all, repeat a lie enough times and people would eventually believe it to be fact; as long as you stamped out dissenting points of view, of course. It would take a lot of effort now to recover what they'd lost, but it was possible.

With a grim smile, Minister Fudge signed an executive order to have Harry Potter arrested and interrogated by his Undersecretary. The last time they'd moved against Potter legally, Dumbledore and inconvenient facts had gotten in their way. This time, they would have all the facts before going into the courtroom; and any facts which were inconvenient would simply be made to disappear. Harry Potter had become a threat to the Ministry of Magic, so his next trial would be significantly more scripted. After all, while the boy was supposedly able to throw off the Imperius curse, there were other methods of ensuring certain behaviors during a trial; it was harder to throw off a brace of potions or a contract signed under duress. And if the national hero's descent into 'dark magic' and evil could be traced to the current Headmaster of his school, well that would mean Salonar would need to be removed by any means necessary 'for the children,' wouldn't it?

.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.

While the Minister and Undersecretary plotted, Harry Potter slept. He dreamed of heroes fighting hopeless battles, knowing that if they could hold out just a little longer, and take just a few more enemies down with them, their families would live. He dreamed of war and blood and streets running red with the blood of the innocent. He dreamed of Dragons, Draenei, Night Elves, High Elves, Blood Elves, Humans, Tauren, Worgen, Naga, Dwarves, Gnomes, and Trolls who didn't deserve their lives cut short. His nightmares ended abruptly when he realized they didn't have to suffer and die. What they needed was a place where they could live, work, survive. And he could give that to them.

Even with their expanded cubes, Earth would be too small for as many as he wanted to save. But there were two other planets just in their solar system that could be colonized. Magic was capable of so much, it seemed impossible that they couldn't transform Mars into a green, living world and make Venus a world of jungles and warm seas. All they needed was the will to experiment until they found what worked.

And even if Harry brought home more people than two worlds could support, there were millions, billions, of stars out there just waiting to be discovered and colonized. It could be done, it would be done. Harry's people would have a future where they never needed to fear corrupt politicians or unending hatred or invading demons ever again!

.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.

Most dreams are forgotten as we wake. They're inconsequential, fleeting, silly. Harry's dream stayed with him. Harry spoke to his sworn when he woke and had them begin building more cubes, better armored and larger than those they were using now. Sirius and the Grangers changed their focus to space travel even as Sirius led experiments to find out the limits of magical travel. Their first attempts would be crude and result in their unmanned early tests burning up in the atmosphere, but each failure would teach them what didn't work.

Azeroth's common magical travel spells, Teleport and Portal, were completely useless for space travel because they made use of a planet's ley-lines to facilitate near-instant travel. It turned out that Portkeys drew on a planet's magnetic field to provide essential stability. Earth's apparition however, seemed to function by exchanging all the matter in a person's body for matter elsewhere. One of Harry's braver, or perhaps simply too curious for his own good, Blue dragons had apparated into orbit briefly. He discovered that the energy requirements for a successful apparition increase exponentially in relation to distance outside of the atmosphere, as opposed to a linear progression where atmosphere, magnetic fields, and ley-lines existed. With some tricky magic and materials this allowed a well hidden way-station to be placed in orbit, layered with charms to avoid collisions with unlucky satellites.

A week later, Aurors arrived at Hogwarts to arrest Harry Potter as he worked on the reconstruction of Hogsmead. It had generally been decided that directly assaulting the castle was a poor idea, given how many goblins had made it back to Gringotts after their siege. (Zero.) By then Lunos, a 'type two' expanded cube with exterior armor made from Elementium had 'landed' safely on the moon. The new crater was barely noticeable and thankfully on the far side of the moon; forged with dragon fire and empowered with runes, the Elementium armor hadn't even scuffed on impact. Lunos would be their starting point, the place from which the needed relay stations to reach Mars and later Venus would be constructed and launched.

By the time the Minister realized that Harry Potter had utterly slipped through his fingers, the first cube dedicated to terraforming a planet would be under construction in the forge within Lunos along with the way-stations needed to actually reach Mars. While some of the metals being used were brought from Earth, an increasing portion of the new cubes would be forged of lunar iron and titanium harvested from Earth's only moon.

.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.

Extra: Return to the Temple of Elune

.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.

On Azeroth, not long after Harry Potter had left, Jagragosa rose and made a few preparations for a short trip. Kylrigosa, the elder mate of the dragon they both loved and an individual that had been like a sister for thousands of years had taken her place in the hatchery. If not for the months spent with Harry and the others the two wyrms would still be in the same stage of pregnancy, weighed down with worries of if their children would be born insane or not. While Jagragosa had laid her clutch (thanks to fertility magic triggering a second reproductive cycle she'd carried the eggs of two different fathers within her) of Blue-Black and Blue-Storm eggs, Kylrigosa still carried Blue-Red and Blue-Twilight eggs.

Kylrigosa would watch over her eggs while she ran a short errand and then got some sleep, long ago the two had decided that any child they had would be raised by both of them and their mate. Senegos had told both his mates that even though he hadn't fathered these eggs, they would still be his children in every way that mattered; they were not to be treated any differently than any of his biological children.

Picking up a package she had requested be prepared for this trip, Jagragosa briefly visited Stella and asked for her memory of what had happened at the lava field. With that done, the Blue wyrm enjoyed the trot to the small area Senegos had designated for outgoing travel in her anthromagus form. It was good to use her Dryad form again without the weight of pregnancy slowing her down; she may have gotten lost in bounding, leaping, and simply moving fast as she made her way from her portal's exit outside the gates of Darnassus to the Temple of Elune. Actually, she most certainly did get carried away because seeing the apparent Dryad charging through the city at a dead run had given the natives the impression that there was a serious problem nearby.

Luckily it was a simple matter to inform the guards that nothing was wrong, she was just relishing the loss of most of the weight from her most recent pregnancy. Several of the Sentinels could relate, and the alarm was cancelled. Walking inside Elune's temple, the disguised dragon enjoyed the comforting sense of calm as she gazed into the Moonwell that sat in the center of the temple. Jagragosa's request to see the High Priestess Tyrande Whisperwind went through quickly, probably because the older elves could easily sense she was really a dragon, and when they met the Blue wyrm handed the case of cured Azsunan olives to Tyrande as a gift. The olives were native to the lands around Azurewing Repose and were rather tasty if cured properly. When you live for thousands of years, you need hobbies, but Jagragosa would never understand why Kylri chose curing olives as one of hers. Being the perfectionist she was however, every harvest Kylri produced the finest olives on Azeroth.

"High Priestess, I'm afraid that I'm here on behalf of one of my settlement's younger drakes. As you know, with age comes wisdom, and the young are prone to emotional reactions at times. Stellagosa, my granddaughter in all but blood, found herself in a heated argument with your husband. When he dismissed her out of hand, Stella opened a portal over Un'Goro crater and stranded him there. While I'm sure the native beasts are no match for an Arch-Druid, he may be gone for some time if he doesn't find a portal home. Here, let me show you the events that lead to the argument with a Memory Viewing Device."

After seeing events from the start of Stella's efforts to Hamuul's arrival at Azurewing Repose, Tyrande was thoughtful. While she loved Malfurion, she was well aware of his faults. "Is what the drake said true?"

"Yes. I and others have proof that the Titans lied to us; the only real effect breeding between flights has is that magic woven into us at the creation of the Dragonflights conflicts and the enchanted slavery fails to be passed on to the next generation. On another topic, I was hoping to meet the drake I heard was healing here. I suspect I know who he was before he joined the service of Elune."

Tyrande closed her eyes and reflected on what she had been told. Her first, reactionary thought was to dismiss the dragon's words out of hand. But… Elune had been active lately, moving with more purpose than Tyrande had ever seen from the deity that usually only acted in direct response to a plea from her followers. And also… "When Alexstrasza was here to help us heal Elune's Herald, it was… odd, in the way she came to believe Elune had transformed some other creature into a shape similar to a dragon, some kind of elf, Tauren, or human. Her logic was… unsound. She refused to believe that it was likely a dragon Elune had changed. That didn't make sense until now."

Tyrande took a deep breath and focused on the connection she had with Elune. Oddly, the goddess seemed busy, distracted for lack of better words. Tyrande had always sensed Elune's presence as being like calm, slow moving water. It was obvious that something had changed, and this made Tyrande even more worried about the world; if current events had her goddess concerned…

It took several moments for the High Priestess to remember that she had a guest waiting patiently. "Elune's presence is more active now than I have ever felt before. I am afraid you have missed her Herald, he claimed he had a mission before taking a small group of volunteers with him; I know not where he went. I am inclined to believe your claims, but I am unsure what I am meant to do with this knowledge. Betraying the Red or Green Dragonflights is not something I am willing to do, even if it would ultimately be for their own good."

While Tyrande had been focused elsewhere, an attendant had brought a collection of refreshments and light snacks. Glad her dryad form was omnivorous, Jagragosa swallowed the excellent Darnassian cheese and responded. "When you next see Elune's Herald, please let him know that his mate, brother, and the others are alive and healthy. As for Alexstrasza and the other dragons loyal to the Titans, I ask that you continue to be their friend. Even the Dragonqueen will need a trustworthy friend as we unravel the lies and shackles forced onto us. I would ask that you advise them against acts that they would regret once their minds are freed."

"Stellagosa said you can free the minds of all but the Aspects themselves. Alexstrasza and Ysera have long been friends to my people…"

"We have a method that would work, but we don't have a dragon powerful enough to overcome what was done to her yet. But we will. If we don't find or recruit an individual eventually we will empower one." Suddenly letting out an enormous yawn, strengthened by two separate sets of lungs, Jagragosa stretched. "I'm afraid that motherhood is always draining, Tyrande, and I am in need of sleep. Feel free to contact me at Azurewing Repose on the Broken Isles if you need anything." With a polite goodbye, the Blue wyrm conjured a portal to return to her home and family. Tyrande was left with new worries and more than enough time to decide how to scold her own mate when he returned.

.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.

A/N: Biggest chapter I've done in a while, hopefully you all enjoy it and the next one as well. Please review, it helps keep me motivated to write.