~Aboard Destiny, Mess Hall~
It had been two days after the welcoming feast Dobby prepared for the Icarus Base personnel as well as his friends Harry, Hermione, and Albus, and the two individuals that glowed golden were having a conversation, quietly.
"So…, we both glowed golden during Professor Dumbledore's spell."
"Yes? Are you asking me if I want to participate in that part of the ritual?"
"Well, he did say that the golden glow signified the best compatibility for the ritual. I'm just thinking of a few things."
"Look, it isn't that I'm not interested in, well, doing that with you, eventually. I just would like to be very certain that we are ready for it. We've only known each other for just over a month and a half, and haven't really had much time to get to know each other. Do you want the pressure of performing for an audience? Harry and Hermione would be chanting, whatever they chant to power or boost or however the magic works, and what would we do after? I for one think it might be embarrassing to know they would see us, and, well, there is also performance anxiety to think of. What if we can't get the ritual finished properly?"
"Maybe they have a potion to help with that; unless there is some arcane rule about the act being completely natural. I mean, there are tons of fiction novels that talk about magic and special rituals. I think the bigger question would be how we would feel walking around the rest of the group, with them knowing that we, um, did the whole 'consummating their love for each other' thing."
"That is also on my mind. I know at least one person who is going to be a hard sell on this. I may be in my mid 20s, like you are, but, well, he is kind of a stickler for tradition."
"What, like you and I would have to be married? Does he like me?"
"I am sure he does, in fact, the other day when we were going for a walk around the ship to explore and chart the corridors, there was a moment where he and I met while you were checking out the Ancient version of a shower. He asked me if I thought my Mom would like you, and I said yes right away. He had a look in his eyes that made me feel that he would at least tolerate you, since I felt my Mom would like you."
"Alright, so we have that hurdle sort of tackled. What about the potion we would have to absorb? From my limited understanding of the magic that their reality has, I think the potion would have to be applied in a rather intimate way."
"Well, Harry and Hermione are both young adults, not that much younger than we are. If we all were to have a pact or something to keep the details private, maybe that would work?"
"Possibly-" He paused, "Oh! I know! They may have a form of magic that would let the knowledge of that portion of the ritual to be locked away. If they do, would that make you feel better about volunteering to help?"
"It would. As for the portion of the ritual we would be helping with, if we go forward with it, I have a feeling that once we find a rhythm that works, we won't have any problems. Of course, the idea of being married so soon after meeting you, I am curious if there is a magic that can tell if we would be a good long term match."
"You know, I think that spell Dumbledore used did that. Whatever criteria it checked, it had to be more than just a physical glossing over of everyone. Maybe it is soul magic? The number of games and books that reference that on our world makes me feel it has to be possible for the wizards and witches of their reality." He answered.
"Okay, what about children? Let's say this ritual needs the two Virgin Souls to be without any form of protection? Blessing magic, however it works, may have that, right?"
"I'm sure that Harry and Hermione's library has some more books on that topic. As for children, we have several parents in the group that came through the Stargate a few days ago, so maybe we can learn how to be parents, if it happens, from them?"
"Sounds like a plan, if, that is, we decide to help. Maybe we should find Harry, Hermione, and Albus, and ask them some discreet questions? Or, what about that Elf guy? Dobby?"
At this moment, hearing his name, and because he was quite close to the two people, Dobby decided to become visible to them.
"Madam and Sir ask for Dobby? I know many things about magic, and would be happy to answer questions! I can even make it so no one else in the room can hear you while you ask your questions!"
"Um…hi there Dobby. Where did you come from?"
"Well, when a mommy elf and a daddy elf love each other—"
"Dobby, we are kind of aware of the process for bearing young, so you don't need to give us that kind of detail. I think what my boyfriend wanted to ask was, were you invisible or did you magic in from somewhere else? And yes, please do something to keep this conversation private."
Dobby snapped the thumb and forefinger on his left hand, and an invisible dome of energy formed around the table and the three beings. Dobby made it so the two who glowed golden would only be noticed by Dobby and the two people with many questions about magic, and this ritual. Of course, being the Sorcerer he was, Albus Dumbledore was able to see past the Notice-me-Not field, and see those two young individuals, though he did not comment or make himself known. He was Disillusioned, of course. Fawkes still had not returned with Lt. Johansen yet.
"Now I can answer your questions. No one who does not have magic in them can hear this conversation, and I will keep your words to myself. I was going around the tables, cleaning from the feast, and was hidden from view of all who are in the room, as elves do their best work hidden."
"Right then…" In a rather amazing coincidence, both young adults said this at the same time, then chuckled, while the Male said, "Wow, buy me a Coke, huh?"
"You know, all that sugar is going to be bad for you, unless you want me to have more of you to hold on to once we get to that point in our relationship…"
Smiling like a loon, Albus Dumbledore knew that the spell worked. Barely a month of knowing each other, and Eli Wallace and Chloe Armstrong were smitten, even if they hadn't quite admitted it to each other. Sure, they had gone for walks and discussed several things in the three weeks that the Hammond was travelling to Icarus, and grown fond of each other. The need for the Virgin Soul spell from the ritual book Merlin made long ago was great, just as the habitat would also be a great need for this group.
~Fawkes' Hangout Place~
Fawkes, a being of Pure Light, wasn't actually a phoenix, and instead was part of a rather exclusive club of people. Several of them tried to rule the galaxy (and reality) that Samantha Carter and Jonathon O'Neill called home, though failed quite often after the Tau'ri began going through the astria porta on a regular basis.
Another was punished for things that most of this club felt were beneath them, literally. Something happened in his youth, and he got cast into the world of Albus Dumbledore and Harry Potter, and had only a few moments (well, actually less than five femto seconds) to decide on how to survive in what at the time, was a new reality for him.
Feeling the presence of all kinds of beings with power, he had quickly learned how to become a phoenix, and in less than a day, found Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore and decided to follow him around to be his companion. One thing that happened, and he was sad to admit this even to himself, was the day he felt the universe calling out to him to donate two tail feathers for magic wands. One was meant for Harry James Potter, and the other for an individual that could have been a servant of the Light, had he been in a loving home, and not abandoned (to him) at the orphanage. The metaphysical powers that had formed on earth, in that reality, had both astounded Fawkes, and scared him. After more than 50 years of being a Phoenix, and a companion to Albus, Fawkes had accepted his lot. While a true Ascended Being had the power to cross back to their Realm, Fawkes had forfeited that the moment he donated the two tail feathers.
Presently, Lt. Tamara Johansen was sitting on a plush chair, in front of a table laden with every kind of food a human could ever desire, especially the littlest ones growing in the womb. Fawkes was still on her shoulders, though she had gotten used to the very light weight he was exerting. His song was quite soothing, and the food was just what she needed.
"I don't know if you can understand me Fawkes, maybe you can, as your friend Professor Dumbledore said you were smart. Are you going to take me back any time soon? I really feel like all this food and this place is too much for me." Tamara said, hoping that Fawkes did understand her.
Fawkes, being a Phoenix physically, and having most of his knowledge from when he was an Ascended Being, could not communicate verbally, with speech. His songs were his method of conveying emotions, as well as to help those that were in pain emotionally. He did eventually learn how to communicate with a person by way of mental images, though it took time for the person to be able to understand him. Albus took a few years to even know the name he had chosen. For Tamara, she wouldn't have that much time, as she could not spend years in this place. Her unborn daughter, the outcome of Tamara and Everett Young having a passionate night, would one day assist Harry James Potter in a certain prophecy.
Unable to spend the time needed to help Tamara learn how to understand him, Fawkes waited until he sensed that Tamara and her daughter had plenty of food to digest and absorb, respectively, before taking them back to Destiny.
~Destiny Mess Hall~
Eli Wallace and Chloe Armstrong were still learning all they could from Dobby, with Albus nearby listening in, and making plans in his head, when Fawkes and Lt. Johansen arrived in the middle of the tables. Once the very quick flash of fire that Wizards and Witches of his reality associated with Phoenix travel had finished, Fawkes left the shoulder of Tamara, his mission complete, and flew around the room, singing one of his songs to brighten all the others and soothe their worries, at least for this evening.
Albus, being a Sorcerer of many talents, had augmented his glasses with some interesting charms. Back when the group came through the Stargate, and after quick introductions were made all around, he was able to see that Tamara Johansen was with child. The moment Fawkes decided to land on her shoulders, he began to theorize something. It can be stated that he would never know that Fawkes wasn't actually a Phoenix, or at least, technically, didn't start his life as one.
When he looked over at Tamara Johansen, with his glasses charmed the way they had been for decades, his vision caused him to faint and his Disillusionment was canceled. Tamara was glowing in a way that no mother to be whether a Witch or a Muggle, ever had. Dobby, Harry, and Hermione all had been in the room when Fawkes and Tamara returned from that Other Place. Dobby, being sensitive to magic, gasped and almost passed out. Harry and Hermione, not having been as curious and learned about Magic as Albus, with his many, many years of studying it, didn't know Tamara was glowing. They did, however, find Albus lying on the floor, passed out.
"Dobby, would you come here please? I think I'll need your help in getting Albus back on his feet, as I've never come across an affect of Phoenix travel that would do that to someone else." Hermione spoke.
Dobby, who had been talking with Eli and Chloe for the past 45 minutes, had said to them, "I must help the Headmaster. If you two have more questions, call for me later." After that, he canceled the Notice-me-Not field, and went to where the Headmaster and Hermione had converged.
Meanwhile, Lady Destiny, after having two samples of the way Fawkes traveled by magic, and not his wings, had begun to recalculate some things. The database she had mentioned the Alterans' efforts to Ascend, and her heuristic analysis systems began to consider that Fawkes wasn't a true Phoenix, though, her moral and ethical governors made her keep this information to herself. The autopilot was still locked, and there was now only 11.5 earth orbit equivalent weeks before Destiny reached the edge of the galaxy she had been flying in for the past six months.