When Molly entered, Lafiel was sitting in the living room with her legs under her as she stared at the fire.
"Been here long," she asked.
She looked up, seeing who it was, turned back to the fire and said, "An hour, or so. I do not require much sleep, and this seems an effective way to meditate."
"Would you like to help me with breakfast?"
Lafiel got up and turned to Mrs. Weasley and said, "I would like that."
Mrs. Weasley couldn't help but be curious about the girl, so she did what she had so far resisted with Hermione and introduced her to how a magical kitchen worked. She even taught her levitation, which she seemed to get the hang of very quickly.
Lafiel levitated all the plates and food to the table by the time everyone was coming down. It had taken her a trip for each piece, yet she could see her skill improving with each. Remarkable.
At the conclusion of breakfast Lafiel asked, "I was wondering if someone could show me to Luna's house? I thought I'd see if she wanted to start learning what I could teach."
"Learning?" Percy asked.
Hermione answered, "She apparently knows something that is a bit like occlumency that Luna thought might help her."
"Interesting," Percy said. "I plan to meet Penny this afternoon, but I could show you the way if you like."
"I would like that."
Harry asked, "Would you like me to come with you?
Lafiel glanced at him. "Do you know Luna well?"
"Not as much as I should. She makes the oddest sense at times. It impressed me quite a bit, the few times I've seen it. I know she is scarily brilliant, just as much as Hermione, if I had to guess, but in a different way. I know her house members at Hogwarts do not always treat her well."
Ginny said, "Luna's weird. She keeps talking about imaginary things and dresses oddly."
Lafiel glanced at her, but her eyes didn't stay on her. She turned to Hermione who said said, "I'll go. I promise, I won't say anything about her making things up." Hermione turned partly towards Harry. "If Harry says, what he says, then I've clearly judged her poorly."
Ron said, "Luna's nuts."
Molly said, "Be nice Ronald. Luna is a nice young woman that you should treat with more respect."
Ron shrugged and grabbed another piece of bread for more biscuits and gravy.
Luna was surprised when Harry, Hermione, Lafiel and Percy of all people showed up at her door.
The ground floor of the Rookery was the living room and kitchen. She smiled and asked them to come up, telling them, "Bedrooms are upstairs. Let's go to the basement."
She often used the basement as a playroom. It was complete with a full sized pool table and little mementos scattered all over different shelves, each with a bit of magical light illuminating it.
Hermione said, "You have a pool table. That's great. My dad always wanted one."
"Yes. This was my mother's favorite."
"I'm sorry," Hermione said, not wanting to bring up sad memories.
"Why?" blinked Luna. "It is a good game. I play by myself sometimes."
Hermione said, "We'll I know the theory, but I haven't really played much."
Harry added, "Neither have I"
"Nor I" added Lafiel.
Percy remained quiet, simply observing.
"Do you want to play?" asked a hopeful Luna.
Hermione said, "Sure."
"You should play Lafiel. It will be more interesting. I'll play the winner."
Harry smiled, and moved back to a bar stool along the wall and took a seat. Percy mirrored him in another.
Luna was soon explaining the rules with a few additions by Hermione. Lafiel listened intently. Hermione offered to go first.
She aimed and shot the cue ball into the others, separating them around the table but failing to sink any. Lafiel took her turn, claiming the solid colored balls and aiming the number three for the corner pocket.
She hit the cue ball which hit the number three, but it didn't quite go in.
Hermione took her turn sinking a stripe ball in the opposite corner then failing a bank shot she attempted.
Lafiel sunk the next three in a row, before missing a tricky shot that would have required a double bounce.
Hermione asked, "How do you do that? Pick up new things so quickly?"
"You are doing the same, are you not? You have some training in how objects interact and such right?"
"Physics? Yes, I have studied it, but applying it here is tricky."
"You are probably thinking about too much is my guess."
"What do you mean?" asked the brunette.
"The physics is that if the ball is kept straight it will cause the next ball to go straight. The next ball will leave at the same angle from the center line on the border and continue traveling until it reaches another ball or a pocket, or another border, but to make all this work you have to hit exactly center, with no more energy than required, and make sure not to hit any other balls that would disrupt this path, you know all this right?"
"We'll of course. This is pretty basic physics."
Percy appeared to be taking notes, while Harry just listened closely.
"If you know that, and your vision is not impaired, then you should be able to correctly estimate the angle to strike the ball with practice. Beyond that is simply a matter of striking the exact center. You do that by paying attention to all the motion of the stick with respect to the cue ball, and making sure it follows the expected path. That is all there is to it, beyond practice, from what I can tell, well that and planning where the cue ball will end I suppose."
Luna smiled, even as Hermione lined up her own shot, carefully focusing and lining it up before sinking it. She did a second, before messing up the third. Lafiel finished the game on her next turn.
Luna grinned and said, "My turn. You can break, or ask me to. Your choice."
"I will try." She repeated what Hermione did, managing to sink a solid, but also managing to sink a stripe. She called solids again, sinking four more balls before Luna took her turn.
There was no other way to explain Luna's turn other than she cheated, badly. She used the pool stick to strike the cue ball like normal, but the cue ball did not move in a straight line, and neither did the balls it struck. Just as she was lining up her third shot Percy exclaimed, "Your using wandless magic. You have to be."
"Mom enchanted the pool balls to make it easier. This is one of my favorite games. Wizard's pool."
Harry laughed, while Lafiel got a contemplative look in her expression. She asked, "How do I do this?"
Luna said, "You focus and you do. The ball moves because you will it to do so and your magic listens, or at least that is what daddy told me."
Lafiel turned to Harry in query. Harry got up and gently put his arms around her with her hands covering his own. He said quietly, "I'll focus on simply helping you move the pool balls. You decide where."
"Thanks," she replied softly.
"Don't mention it."
Luna smiled at the gesture, before glancing at Hermione.
Harry focused, even as he felt Lafiel's magic touch his skin and then sink into his right hand. He tried to keep his thoughts neutral and supportive of her desires, since the goal wasn't for him to do wandless magic, but for her to."
Suddenly, the cue ball started rolling back to them, then stopped. Lafiel's forehead scrunched up a bit as she focused, then the ball shot out back towards the number four on the other side, hitting it, but failing to sink a shot. There wasn't enough speed to the impact and her aim was off.
"Your turn."
He slipped his hands out from under hers and set them on top as he took in the board. He too focused on the pool ball, then focused some more; willed it to move towards him; he imagined it rolling rotation by rotation getting nearer until it moved a bit, then a bit more, and finally came back and hit the bumper before moving back to the middle of the table.
He stopped trying to move it, even as he marveled at her warm hands, at the feel of her magic next to his. Before he got too distracted he pulled the ball back to him and repeated Lafiel's shot, managing to sink a ball.
They soon restarted a game with Luna, save that she added a larger triangle with another stripe on a third of the balls. Before long they were trying to sink shots with only wandless magic. Luna was managing it, but it was clearly quite difficult if you weren't even using a stick to start it.
Harry and Lafiel did better, no matter who led, but their pairing was a bit like cheating. Neither could get the ball to move by themselves, nor could Hermione or Percy. Percy had to leave shortly afterwards, but said they should be fine if they just kept to the path back to the Burrow when they are done.
After Percy was gone, Luna got a bit quiet as she finished her turn. Lafiel was once again trying on her own while Hermione and Harry watched.
Lafiel said softly, "It must be hard to see what others do not."
Luna, eyes widened, turning sharply to her.
"I don't know what you see of course. I cannot see it, but I can see your reactions to it. They are too consistent to be random. You are, I think seeing something."
"No one has ever noticed," Luna said softly.
Hermione and Harry focused intently on Luna, as if trying to see what Lafiel saw.
"Tell us about what you see," asked Lafiel.
"I'm sorry, I can't. Harry and Hermione can't protect their minds, at least not yet."
"But I can?" asked Lafiel. "I know of no special skill I have there."
"I do not know how, but you are different too."
Harry got up, and a glance at Hermione had her getting up as well.
Hermione said, "We will take a walk outside. Come out and get us when your done."
Once they were gone, Luna started to speak softly. "I can see into other places. Worlds and times that are very different. I can't control it, but sometimes people and places seem to trigger it. I saw your conception and then your birth I think, at least I think that was what it was. It was a very strange way to be born, and yet I could see the love your parents had for you."
"I was born from an artificial uterus at the royal nursery at Lakfakalle. I did not know till recently, but my mother is Lexshue Wef-Robell Plakia. My father is Abriel Nei Debrusc Larth Kryb Debeus. He is the son of the current Empress of my people. Because I was born from the genes of two people who loved each other, I am considered a daughter of love."
Luna said, "They are so far away and so far into the future. It is strange that you are here now."
"Do you know any way for me to go home?"
"I do not. I am sorry."
"I was beginning to guess as much, that it wasn't merely space, yet somehow time as well. We were experimenting with what we called s-particles, but were in fact some kind of radiation given off by those with the potential for magic. The way back would require somehow understanding the process and calculating a course, but it also would require a copy of the facility I departed from, and that is a very difficult thing to make with at most the resources of this planet. Heck, I can't even refuel the craft I arrived in, but that is, at least, a solvable problem."
She paused and turned to Luna. "I'm sorry, I was here to help you, yet I have done so little. You must forgive me."
Luna smiled, "There is nothing to forgive." Luna herself hesitated before coming to face Lafiel more fully. "The magical world, particularly around here has some very bad people in it. Many of them believe that due to their being born in a family that has had generations of magical blood, that they are better than everyone else.
I am a pureblood, as are the Weasleys. The bad people I'm referring to would consider us blood traitors. They consider first generation magicals to be little more than scum, calling them found names. They consider those without magic to be worse than scum. If they find out about you, particularly that you were born how you were… You shouldn't tell anyone else, not even Harry. He would think no less of you, but there are ways of extracting secrets against a persons will."
"The goblin king knows, not everything, not about my birth, but who I am."
"I doubt he will say anything, but he will want something. Goblins always do, though with effort the deals can be fair." Luna looked closely at Lafiel. "Can I see your true form, just for a moment?"
Lafiel removed the necklace, her blue hair and pointed ears returning. She said, "I truly dislike this thing. It is useful, but I am not ashamed of my looks."
"Does Harry like what he sees?"
Lafiel's cheeks pinked. "I have no time for such frivolous pursuits."
"And what does it feel like to have Harry's magic touching your own, or you directing his magic."
"It is quite nice."
Luna laughed.
Lafiel fished out her tablet and showed it to Luna. "I only have the one, but would you know where to buy such a thing? I was thinking I could get some of the instructions for the mental training I underwent and give them to you on something like this."
"That is amazing, and it works here inside the wards."
"Why wouldn't it?" asked a curious Lafiel.
"Muggle technology tends to break inside high magic areas, but then, I guess yours is better. I don't think you can buy anything like this, but I saw a muggle computer print thing once. It wrote letters on paper. I have no idea where to get one, or if it would work."
Lafiel swiped a couple times on her tablet to change screens. "Computer, investigate the potential of acquiring a device to print documentations on paper."
"Confirmed. Preliminary search results indicate that a personal computer and printer may solve this issue. I am downloading the location of several locations near you that sell them as well as recommended purchases."
"That is so cool," said Luna. "How does it work?"
"It has an active communication link to my ship, which has a computer from my time."
"Can I see your ship?"
Lafiel showed her a picture on the tablet.
Luna sighed. "I wanted to see it in person."
"Someday, but for now, are you okay?"
"I'm okay. Just knowing someone doesn't think I'm crazy helps."
"Then shall we join Harry and Hermione?"
Luna smiled.
They soon found Hermione and Harry sitting out under a tree. Lafiel walked up to Hermione and asked, "Could you help me buy a computer, and perhaps store it at your house?"
Hermione blinked. "I have one. It is older. I keep thinking I'll break it, but so far it is okay."
"Does it have a printer?"
"Yes, I sometimes print articles and things. It is an old black and white laser printer, but it works well enough. Did you have something to print?" Harry looked on in curiosity.
"Yes, actually. I was hoping to print some of the books that I used to learn from. I thought maybe everyone could use a copy."
"Do you have a CD or something?" Hermione asked.
"I'm not sure what a CD is, but if we could go to your house I could probably get it to print."
Luna said, "You should bring the copies here. Once Daddy is home he can add spells to keep it private and secure."
Hermione said, "The Weasleys are probably expecting us back but I know my parents would love to meet you all. Tomorrow is Saturday. If Harry doesn't mind me borrowing his Owl I could write them and ask for us to come tomorrow. We could probably take the Knight Bus."
Harry said, "It sounds like a plan."
Molly wanted them to have an escort. They ended up with Bill who had a day off. After they got off the Knight Bus Lafiel, who appeared to be unaffected by all the motion said, "That was the most ridiculous form of transportation I have ever heard of, let alone experienced."
"Agreed," sniped Hermione. "Wizards don't seem to have any sense at times."
Harry said, "You don't have to convince me."
Hermione said, "Maybe my parents can drive us back."
Luna said, "That sounds fun."
As Bill and the others approached the rather nice two story house with detached three car garage, he couldn't help but admire it. The beige bricks, climbing ivy, shrubbery, flowers, and cobbled walkway just all worked well together. He had decided to wear a simple white shirt and leather jacket today, complete with muggle blue jeans. He was about to knock on the door, before a woman who must be Hermione's mom opened it and said, "Dan, they are here."
Her husband, a slightly older man with a touch of gray moved to join his wife. He said, "Come on in, everyone. We just finished breakfast, but there is quite a bit of leftovers. We weren't sure if you would have eat before coming here."
Their daughter replied. "We did. Ron's mom wouldn't let us leave without eating. Oh, good, you have raisin bagels and cream cheese, and yogurt and orange juice."
Her mother laughed. "Yes, we got your favorites. Come, everyone, take a seat and introduce yourselves."
They quickly went round the table. When they were done, Bill asked Hermione's parents, "Have you ever heard of wards?"
Dan replied. "No, what are wards?"
"It is common in the magical world for magical protections to be applied to houses. I just thought with Hermione here being Harry's friend, it probably would be a good idea to get a set. I could set some basic ones up, but for anything substantial, you would need a sponsor, though I think technically Harry could do it."
Hermione said, "We'll I might be able to do magic if we had them."
"That is still technically illegal, at your age, but yes, any set I would recommend would work for that."
Emma said, "Is this really necessary? What about when we have visitors?"
"I'd recommend a layered configuration. The house would have moderate defenses which would be acceptable in a muggle neighborhood. You would then probably need rooms excavated below, which I could help with. Those would be fully protected, likely with a hidden way out. Those rooms would be where you would actually sleep and probably do day to day tasks."
"You can do all that?" asked Dan skeptically.
"No, but I happen to be on a Gringotts team, and we are permitted to do work for family and friends, provided we still pay thirty percent of the profits to Gringotts. Seeing as we don't generally charge for family and friends its not an issue."
"I'll pay whatever it is," Harry said. "Hermione is too important. Her family is as well."
Bill looked surprised, but recovered quickly. "We'll in that case we could do an official job with a plan by our master warder, including all the goblin additions. I should still be able to get a deal." He turned to Harry. "Are you sure Harry? It's a few thousand galleons probably. Maybe more, depending on the details."
Dan said, "You can't spend that much on us. That is like 25 thousand pounds."
Harry said, "I'm told I have a family vault with some ridiculous amount of money to it. This may dent my trust vault, but it refills when school starts. Please, let me do this. Money I have a lot of. Precious friends I have few."
Luna looked around and said clearly, "You should do this. Please. It is important."
Emma asked, "What do you mean? Do you know something? Are we in some danger?"
Lafiel said, "Yes, you are, because the world your daughter is part of has many wonderful and many terrible things. I read more about it last night. There are people, if they get just a little more power may attack your daughter or her family, either because she was the first in her family with magic, or because she is friends with Harry."
Dan asked, "Is there any immediate threat?"
Bill said, "Your probably okay for now, but random attacks on muggles do happen, and Hermione is known to be associated with Harry who somehow was associated with their leader's death. I'd rather not chance it."
Dan looked at his wife, who nodded. He said, "I'd need to see an understand a plan before I can approve it. We also have about a fifth of the amount available. We will pay for what we can."
Luna said, "The ministry taxes muggles who convert money 25%. You could give your money to Harry and he could exchange it without penalty."
Harry shrugged. "I'm fine just paying, but if you want you can pay me what you want to and I'll pay the rest. I could probably use the regular money easily enough."
Dan asked, "And everyone here is sure this is a good idea?"
Lafiel, "Yes. Family is precious."
Luna, "It will probably save your lives."
They all looked at her uncertainly for a moment, before Harry added, "The other day I remarked that Luna was easily as smart as your daughter, if in different ways. She has a knack of saying truth, in a way you don't realize is true until later. If she is this clear, well I say do it. Also, the headmaster of my school insists I stay at my relatives house every summer for at least a month because the wards there help protect me. It is a very unpleasant place, but I go back. Maybe if these wards are good enough I could rent a room?" he asked the last hopefully.
Lafiel and Hermione stared at Harry in concern.
Hermione ended the silence with, "Yes, get the wards, and we will find a way Harry. We should get a room for him as well."
Lafiel said, "It may not be a bad idea to get several extra. In dangerous times, safe places may become rare."
Bill said, "Get them, and as far as the cost goes for additional space, its really irrelevant. Your going to be somewhat limited by the size of your property. The cost between 1 room and 10 or even 20, if they will fit is going to be minimal. In fact, you could just have one big secure room created, and we could do the rest later. The main thing we want to avoid is using magic to hold up walls or expand the underground space. That will weaken the wards. Honestly, it would be better if we just brought muggle supplies down and shaped them with magic. That much would be permanent and without any drawbacks. You also wouldn't need to heat or cool the area, or supply fresh air, though I would recommend dedicated ventilation shafts in any event. Magic is great. Having a backup plan is better."
Dan said, "I agree in principle, but couldn't we just get the heck out of the country? Sure we like our home, but Hermione is far more important, and people could even come with us if you want."
Lafiel said, "Avoiding a battle against a determined opponent just makes the battle at the opponents terms. That usually ends badly."
Bill said, "While I may agree with you, protecting my family is my top priority. Voldemort's followers could easily get a Portkey to anywhere in the world, and then probably a second to right where you live. You can't be under wards all the time. There are rituals that would find you. Here you would have people who could back you up. In America or wherever they might be harder to find."
Dan asked, "Okay. When can you get this done? I'll have to find a way to get the money out, and I'd prefer not to take that much out at once, governments pay attention to such things."
Bill said, "Just go to Gringotts. They can transfer it to Harry's vault. They will deal with the details. Just make sure Harry is the one requesting the transactions. The system may be corrupt, but you might as well save what fees you can."
Harry said, "Don't worry about paying me back, or at least wait till the work is done. Besides, won't we need money for the wood and stuff to make walls?"
Dan sighed. "Fine. For now, let's get this ball rolling."
"We'll," Bill said, "If you want, I could apparate you to Gringotts and we could get started."
Lafiel said dryly, "You may want to just take your ground vehicle."
Emma said, "We'll its Saturday, so it should only be about a thirty minute drive."
Bill said, "Driving works. We can go now if you want."
Emma said, "Just go. Get something good for lunch if you spot something."
"Will do."
Emma asked, "I thought that Hermione might stay at the Weasley's for the rest of the summer. I do really appreciate our daughter being home, but I'm curious as to why?"
Hermione blushed furiously. "Mom. Um, we wanted to use my computer."
"Figures. Well do you think your dear old mom could tag along?"
Hermione looked at the others and then at Lafiel.
Lafiel said, "I don't see the problem with it. I'm going to print some study materials for them."
"What kind of study materials? I thought you all used books from that one store."
"I was taught a form of mental discipline when I was young. It is just that. We can even leave you a copy if you want."
Luna added, "We will have to bind them at my house, but that should not take long."
Emma said, "If it will help you can use our computer. It has a much better printer, that even does color."
"When did you get that?" asked Hermione.
"About a year ago," Emma added dryly, causing Hermione's cheeks to pink.
They soon were in Dan and Emma's home office, while Emma started the computer and logged in.
"So, what do you want to print?"
Lafiel shrugged and brought her little tablet out.
"What is that? It's thin and with that good of a display. I've never seen anything that good," said Hermione's mother.
"A topic for another time perhaps," Lafiel said.
Emma remained quiet, but obviously didn't like the dodge.
Lafiel manipulated the small tablet for several minutes, before suddenly the printer came to life and started printing a translation of the document Lafiel had sent.
"Your not going to explain that either, are you?" asked Hermione's mom.
Hermione looked like she too wanted to ask, but seeing no one else answering, resisted.
Harry said, "Lafiel is from another country. I guess their technology is just better."
"I'm not buying it. Japan may be ahead, but I do keep up with these things. Also, when is the last time you charged that? You have been at a magical home without electricity right?"
"Charged?" Lafiel asked.
"That thing must run on batteries of some kind right?"
Lafiel searched on her tablet for a couple minutes, apparently looking for the answer.
"I am sorry," she said.
"What are you sorry for?"
"That you ask a question that I cannot answer."
"Can not or will not?" asked Hermione's mother.
"Do you wish me to answer that?" asked Lafiel.
"No, its okay. You have your secrets. Can I at least read what your printing?"
"Sure. I do ask that you not tell anyone other than your husband about it though."
Emma grabbed the first hundred pages and moved over to the other desk and started reading.
"The mind is our single most important asset. Other parts can be replaced, but the mind that is the core of who we are, and who we can be. The mind does not exist alone. It's proper functioning requires proper nutrition and exercise, both mental and physical. The mind does not exist alone. It directs the body, but diligence and hard work is required to optimize the ability of the body, just as it is required for the mind. All is connected. All is important. This is established fact learned through centuries of research, introspection, and analysis. Take head of this, for in this guide are the principles and exercises required to begin to master both. True mastery requires a lifetime of dedication.
Focus, attention, knowing when to try harder, knowing when to take a break, or change tasks. All these things are important. Knowing when to exercise, and what is enough. Knowing how to train your body not simply for mere strength, but for precision. Often tasks may be combined. Exercise can be used for strength and precision at the same time, while also working on a problem that requires some additional focus. Complex problems require functional decomposition. This is the same for almost any complex task. Break down what is. Determine what is relevant. Determine the desired outcome. Figure out the steps to get there. Figure out the first step. Figure out how to determine if the first step is correct, if possible. Figure out the next step.
Distractions are only distracting if you permit them to be. Your mind collects far more sensory input than is required for most tasks. You will learn to separate the important from the unimportant, while splitting your focus to continue to periodically monitor the lesser information in case it becomes relevant.
Do not be deceived. Simply reading this material will not suddenly make you able to do the tasks you may have noticed your elders doing. Reading through it and practicing all of the techniques in here, continually will sharpen your focus. It will help you along the Journey, but the Journey is the journey of a lifetime.
Emma stopped reading, "So your printing a self help guide?"
Lafiel said, "It is more than that. I've learned your language in only a couple weeks."
"Really?" asked Emma dubiously.
Hermione said, "She really did. I've heard her speak another language. It really seems rather pretty. I was actually hoping to learn it."
"Me too," added Harry.
"Me three," chimed in Luna.
Lafiel spoke in Baronh, "I will be glad to teach you all." Then in English, "I said, I would be glad to teach you all."
Harry said dryly, "I think its going to take us a bit longer than two weeks." Then after looking around he said, "We'll it will take me at least longer."
Hermione said, "Don't let him fool you, Harry here, just got what a third of the way through last year's Arithmancy work and understood it."
"Curious, I believe you said that was one of your hardest courses."
"Yes, and the lazy bum took the easy courses last year when he could have been taking Arithmancy with me."
"I'm catching up," pleaded Harry.
Lafiel and Luna seemed particularly amused.
The first copy of the book was done. Emma reloaded the paper and Lafiel started a second copy of the book.
Lafiel then said, "I was thinking of making six copies, but that will use almost all of the material in the printer. Is that okay?"
"It is not a problem. I'll pick up some more tomorrow."
Deciding to break the silence, Emma said, "So tell me some more about yourself Lafiel? How did you meet Hermione and Harry? You too Luna. I would like to hear more about you all."
They continued to talk. At one point Emma said, "I'll be glad when the wards finally get in, so I can see some of this magic for a change."
Luna noticed a bottle full of multicolored marbles sitting in a candy dish. She went over to them and set one down on the table. The others started to watch, when suddenly the marble started going in circles.
"You're doing that?" Emma asked.
Luna shrugged. "My parents taught me. This much wandless magic is unlikely to be detected."
"Can any of you do that?"
Hermione said, a touch bitterly, "Not for lack of trying."
Harry shrugged, not sure if Lafiel wanted to try, with or without him.
Lafiel motioned him forward, just taking his right hand in her left. A barely visible shimmer of white light outlined his hand, even as lavender veins of light danced dimly around it.
The marble began to spin in a circle. Luna added another marble. She said, "You lead, I will follow"
Lafiel's marble started to move in every increasing geometric shapes, starting with a line, then moving to a triangle, and increasing one edge per trip. Luna seemed to be struggling to keep up. Sweat was beading on her brow as she focused on her marble tracing. At times Lafiel would slow her marble, apparently to allow Luna to catch up, until at one point she slipped her hand under Harry's rather than the other way around.
Luna's marble immediately bounced into the marble harry was now trying to get back under control. It fell off the edge of the table and was most of the way to the ground before the faint shimmer around their hands seemed to double in intensity as the ball raised back into the air and returned to the table. Harry's patterns weren't remotely geometric, nor where they even patterns, but he led Luna on a merry chase before for several minutes until she said, "Tired." and then picked up her marble and put it back in the candy jar.
Emma said, "That was amazing, even if it was sort of two against one."
"Luna was the winner," Harry said, "Neither one of us could have done remotely as well as her on our own."
"Can Hermione learn that?"
Luna said, "Yes."
Hermione blinked owlishly before smiling.
They were a bit surprised to hear the front door open, only to see Dan, Bill and a rather old but elegantly clothed goblin.
Luna's eyes popped as she quickly bowed her head and said, "Lord Ragnok, you do us a great honor." Luna motioned the others who also bowed, save for Lafiel who gave a shallow partial bow. Emma remained standing, as did Dan and Bill.
Luna's eyes widened at surprise at Lafiel, but then she remembered just who Lafiel was.
Ragnok said, "I have agreed to provide warding services, with a few conditions."
Emma asked, "What conditions?"
"If the wards are ever breached, we must be notified immediately, if you are able to do so. I am providing a single goblin made portkey that will portkey anyone touching it when its activation phrase is said to underneath Gringotts. You will be stunned and under guard until we know you are not under any influence and there are no unwanted guests. Medical attention will be provided as necessary. Should the wards indicate they are likely to be breached you will take this portkey, or you will find another reliable method to get away, where again, you will inform us immediately, if possible. You will not discuss any feature of these wards with any other party without contacting us first, except the standard set of features we will give you."
Emma said, "So basically, we are getting a better set of wards, and a way out, and we shouldn't talk about it?"
Ragnok said, "Essentially."
Hermione asked, "What about anti portkey wards? Could someone trying to break in set one of those up?"
"The portkey will be tied to the wards. The wards will collapse, if necessary, to provide the energy to break out of any external warding. If that happens your house will probably be destroyed."
Dan said, "The main thing is we would be safe."
His wife agreed.
"One additional feature exists, though we would prefer it not happen. If you fail to take the port-key, but are below ground in the area we are creating, the wards will catastrophically fail, probably killing anyone attacking. We will also be notified, but you should be safe underground, unless they know to look. I do not recommend testing this."
"We won't," Dan agreed.
Lafiel said, "I created several copies of a book I used to learn from on how to train ones mind and body. I'm afraid that I do not know your language. If you wish a copy I could give you one of the ones we made, or if you could lend me a book on your language I could probably get you a translation in a few weeks."
Ragnok said, "We can translate as easily as any."
Lafiel nodded and went to get a copy.
Luna said, "Lord Ragnok please consider carefully how the knowledge in that book spreads."
"Why is that?" asked the King.
Lafiel had returned, setting one of the stacks of paper on the table. She said, "I have no great objection to people learning it, but it will benefit anyone who takes it seriously."
"I understand. I will read it carefully before taking additional actions."
Emma said, "It sounds a bit like a self help book, from what I've read, but I haven't gotten too far into it."
The goblin king touched the center of the pile of paper, making it into a solid block of paper. He shrank it with another touch before pocketing it. He said, "I still look forward to another talk between us," before giving his own shallow bow.
"Warder Weasley. I know it is not your team doing the work, but you will still be paid standard rates. Please prepare your own report on the wards here. I will double that pay if you can find one significant weakness, and provide a path to fix it that is better than the problem."
"Thank you sir. I will do my best. Just the chance to learn from the premier Gringotts team is an honor."
"Do not misunderstand. We regularly bring in exceptional employees to review the top teams work. It is true, due to this fluke, you are ahead of schedule, but you were already in consideration for this task. If the employees do well enough, they may find themselves on that team, or not. The goal is the work, and where that employee can help most. Learning from the top team and bringing those skills back is also valuable."
"Thank you. I understand."
The old goblin vanished from site.
Bill said, "It might be best if most people left. The goblins already set up deterrent wards, to allow the work to be completed, and most people do not wish to be around when powerful wards are established. It can be uncomfortable."
"How so?" Hermione asked.
"Setting up wards fast in a way that doesn't degrade requires saturating a tremendous amount of magic. The final wards for this place is going to use all the members of the top team which is 7 goblins and 14 human warders, and none of them are weak. Usually..." He trailed off.
"I've got an idea, but I need to run it by the Master Warder. I'll be right back."
Bill approach the old goblin who currently held the title of Master Warder for all of Gringotts. He got within about six feet and waited to be called. The goblin was currently reviewing the ward diagram on a conjured concrete table. He signaled Bill to approach.
"Report."
"Sir. I respectively request a little of your time to present a possible change to the plan."
"Speak."
"I was talking with the group here and suggested they may want to leave, to avoid having to deal with the pain the strong magical fields would cause, and it occurred to me, as one of the members is family, and three others are close friends, they might possibly form a ward core seed."
"At their age?" he asked skeptically.
"I realize this is a bit of a long shot, but Harry is strong. He is said to be able to produce a Patronus that repelled a hundred Dementors. Luna's mother still has a place in our guild hall for her work, and Lafiel is brilliant. I don't quite know why, but I think Lafiel may be part of why Lord Ragnok was here."
"Very well. I will test them. Call them."
Bill bowed and quickly returned to the house. A few minutes later one of the human warders, a woman who appeared to be in her late seventies pulled out a triangular shaped piece of black flat stone, that she quickly enlarged to several feet.
The woman introduced herself as Samantha. She said, "The runic array on the stone would allow two people to channel magic to one other person to accomplish a task too difficult for one person to accomplish. Pick a spell, and pick three people, and who will cast it. If this works well enough they may may be involved in making the wards stronger. Before you ask, the temporary wards will block the ministry sensors."
Lafiel asked, "What about our dual casting? Would it be safe for Harry to try a Patronus again?"
"Dual casting. I haven't seen that in awhile, but I'd hardly think you would be channeling enough magic to be dangerous."
Hermione said, "Lafiel passed out a couple weeks ago."
Samantha took her wand out and started to point it at Lafiel, but paused. "May I examine you?"
Lafiel nodded.
Samantha cast a whole series of diagnostic spells at her, several of which had her eyes widening slightly. She said, "Could you follow me for a bit? I wanted to ask you a couple questions."
Lafiel nodded, and followed the old warder away from their camp and back down to a bench on the other side of the yard before casting a silencing ward.
"First, I assume you know your readings aren't fully human?"
"Of course."
"And I assume you don't want everyone to know this?"
"That is correct."
"Then avoid letting random people with anything approaching my skills or a healers skills having a go at you with diagnostic spells. I detected the goblin glamour as well, but I won't ask. It's not my job."
"It's mostly just hair color," Lafiel said.
The warder nodded. "We'll I'm a bit surprised you have recovered so far from what sounded like an episode of forcing, but I don't have anything medically that would stop you. I assume Mr. Potter would be the one guiding the magic, due to his greater familiarity?"
Lafiel nodded.
"Should we perhaps be limiting who sees this test?"
"Probably. I think my glamour may have failed briefly before I passed out last time."
"Then you should probably take it off before you do this. They really aren't intended to work in such conditions. We could also skip this."
"Would skipping this mean the wards were less capable?"
"If you are capable of channeling enough energy then yes, having those that are linked, one way or another as part of the process is a significant boost."
"And do you trust your team?"
"With my life, or we would not be on it. Given that Ragnok asked for our support, betraying you could cost us our lives."
"Then let honor be returned with honor." She reached up and pulled the necklace from her neck and slipped it into her pocket.
"Actually, you should let the Master Warder or myself hold that, or place it away from you. If you have anything else in your pocket, well taking it out is probably not a bad idea. For now, put that back on, till we explain."
"Okay."
They returned to the area between the warder and his stone table. Samantha spoke quietly with the master warder. He then stood upon a bench he had previously been sitting on. He didn't shout or even whisper, but within seconds the entire household, guests and ward team turned to him.
"I am told the one known as Lafiel has a secret, but that she would trust our honor with it." He turned to Lafiel and called her name.
Lafiel stood upon a second bench and said. "I met Harry a few weeks ago. Where I come from, it is not unusual to have different colored hair, or even different ears. I have hid my true form so as to avoid needless trouble, but I am told, that in order to do the magic required to help protect this place, I will have to temporarily abandon my disguise. She slipped the necklace off her head, revealing her light indigo hair, eyes, and elven ears.
Emma was the first to speak, "Are you an elf?"
Lafiel was puzzled by the reference. She said, "I am an Abh, not an Elf."
The Ward Master spoke again, "This information will be kept out of reports and be protected. I will speak to Ragnok about our work today."
"Lord Ragnok already knows," Lafiel said.
Harry added, "Griphook discovered Lafiel when the glamour the Weasley twins had supplied failed. He took us to him."
The Ward Master got down and asked, "Are we ready to begin?"
Lafiel handed him the necklace and then reached into her pocket and pulled an unpowered tablet out and handed him that as well. "I was told that I shouldn't have these things on me."
"Curious," the old goblin said. "This is some piece of technology? Does it still work?"
"It works very well."
The old goblin's eyes widened. "We may wish to talk someday. Gringotts would pay well to know how to make technology safe around magic."
Lafiel said, "I am not sure. My guess is that in the process of hardening our technology against electromagnetic pulses, such as might occur with a nuclear or similar detonation, we have accidentally also protected it from magic. You may be able to research how an electromagnetic pulse might damage regular electronics and what steps have been taken to protect against it."
"I do not fully understand your words, and may have questions later, but for now, let us do the test."
Lafiel sat where the old warder indicated with Harry behind. Luna sat behind and to his left, her right hand on his shoulder. Hermione sat behind and to his right, her left hand on his shoulder.
Samantha said, "You must understand that we are very good at our jobs, so to be permitted to form the ward core seed you must impress, but not yet. Start with simple spells."
Harry said, "Let's try a stunner." To Lafiel he said, "A stunning spell is a red burst of light that knocks out an opponent until the spell wears off or the counter spell is established. For now Lafiel, I'll cast by myself, showing you the motions, then you try."
He shot several stunners into a nearby tree, choosing each time to remain silent, the spell getting stronger each time. Soon Lafiel tried, managing a weak stunner on her third try.
She said, "First try through me, without the others perhaps?"
Harry covered her hands with his own, even as the others let go. Harry repeated his cast, through her, through her wand only for a crack to be heard as the tree was impacted.
Samantha said, "Be careful with dual or augmented casting. A strong enough stunner can kill. That one could have been lethal."
Lafiel said, "Of course." Harry removed his hands and Lafiel repeated it, succeeding in casting a stunner nearly as strong as Harry had managed alone.
The ward master said, "There is no hurry. Do a couple others, then repeat them all with the full link. If your going to help with the wards, your going to need the practice."
Harry said, "How about the spell to summon water?"
Hermione said, "That is a good spell."
Lafiel said, "Cast it through me. I want to see if I can pick it up quicker this way."
Harry did so. The water was sluggish at first, but soon was a thick stream more resembling a fire hydrant. Lafiel failed to duplicate it on her first attempt. Her second was feeble. Her third was again similar to what Harry could have done my himself.
Hermione asked, "Do you know the bluebell flame spell harry?"
"Maybe? I tried it a few times and it sort of worked."
Hermione took her own wand out and after an elaborate flourish a jet of blue fire shot from her wand only to land on the unoccupied stone bench where it formed into self sustaining blue fire.
Harry said, "Do that again Hermione."
She ended the previous spell with a finite, and repeated her spell, producing the same self sustaining blue fire. She said, "Bluebell flames are mostly harmless. You can hold them in your hands. They will burn cloth given enough time. I typically put them in bottles to help read by."
Lafiel said absently, "The blue light may not be the best for your vision."
"Really", Hermione asked?
"Bright blue light is harder on eyes than most other colors."
Hermione said, "We'll I'll have to make a red or yellow version then."
Harry tried the spell, and it fizzled. He repeated the attempt several more times, until he got something close to the same flames. They seemed a bit more orange somehow.
Lafiel brought her wand out and Harry repeated the cast through her, duplicating his feat but getting true bluebell flames, almost twice as tall was what Hermione created.
Lafiel started to switch their hands and Harry followed. Her wand first produce a thin blue stream, then a solid blue fire, then orange, then a bright yellow fire. It was more true fire than blue bell, since the heat was significant.
Samantha said, "Keep feeding magic to that, while the pair behind you on the runic platform join in."
The fire remained unchanged, as first Hermione and then Luna set hands on Harry's back.
"Now you two, focus on as if your casting the spell through Harry. Will your magic through Harry."
The flame shifted to include veins of blue as Hermione magic was added to the mix, along with her concept of what the spell should be.
It shifted again to add warm cream colored veins as Luna's was added.
Samantha said, "Just stay like that, or maybe flipping between Harry and Lafiel leading every few minutes for an hour or so. It is not much magic, but it is excellent synchronization training. Your already doing better than many of my early warding students. Your age probably helps somewhat here. Your magic is more pliable than it would be if you were older."
Samantha moved back to the Master Warder's table and established a privacy spell. "They are a precious find. We just have to hope, Mr. Potter's enemies do not get to him before they can grow into their potential. I'd hire them now, if I could. They require much training, but would be stronger for it."
She looked back at the new team. It seemed Luna had gotten bored and conjured thousands of bubbles, and Harry was now directing the link, sending bluebell flames carefully into each bubble and from time to time keeping the bubbles near.
The old goblin said, "Have them skip the Patronus. I have a good idea of what I might see if they did it, and it might be better if rumors of that do not get out."
"You think they could do a True Patronus? I thought that was only a legend."
"It is not a legend. Goblin records have documented it, once from a goblin as well as twice from two different women. We have the records, and I would like to see them try it, succeed or fail, but our main goal is the wards, and that level of a spell risks them being in no shape for the wards."
"Understood."
"Tell them they are done and to rest. We are going to establish the primary ward matrix in thirty minutes, and expect it to take a full hour to form. Tell them that. Ask them if they will be ready."
"Understood."
"One more thing. Ask to check Mr. Potter's scar. There is something I do not like about it. If it is as I suspect, we will be earning our money today."
A visibly shaken warder said, "I will go now."
Samantha was shocked when she read the results of her latest scan. She had immediately pulled Mr. Potter aside. Harry looked to Lafiel and Hermione, and Luna who followed along.
Samantha asked, "Are you sure? What I have to tell you is very unpleasant news."
Harry said, "I trust them."
Samantha brought them over to the same clearing as before Once he was sitting down she asked, "Are you sure you want company to hear this?"
"I trust them," repeated Harry.
"Voldemort it seems did something very bad… He evidently learned of a rather obscure and dark way to prevent himself from true death. He created, from what I can tell, at least one correct Horcrux. A Horcrux can be anything, but something heavily magical works best, since they need a source of energy to last. The main thing to create one you have to fracture your soul. This is typically done through murder of an innocent. There are a bunch more steps that I have no intention of covering, but the murder is the key."
Their eyes widened at the information. She paused her speech to drink from a glass of water.
"I see evidence in Harry's scar of a failed Horcrux ceremony."
"What?" Harry exclaimed. The others looked on with concern.
"It is not all bad news. That he failed is helpful. I'm not sure we could remove it without killing you if he had somehow completed it, but I rather doubt he intended you to be the target."
"He intended me to be dead."
The other's looked on in concern.
Continuing, she said, "The good news is, well there are a couple paths to remove it. Neither is as safe as I'd like them to be, but I doubt you'd find a better chance anywhere in the world."
"What are the odds?" asked Hermione.
Samantha replied. "I could wish that you had not asked that. In truth, our best guess is the odds of either path are similar. There is no doubt that we will succeed in destroying the partial Horcrux in Harry and I'm sad to say, that to finish Voldemort off for good that must be done."
Harry swallowed. Lafiel slipped her left hand over his right, even as Hermione did the same on his other side.
She continued. "You have to understand that estimating odds for something like this is difficult. Much of it will depend on the will of Harry to live. That being said, if you look at the numbers there is probably a one in three chance that Harry will die."
Lafiel said, "Unacceptable," even as she gripped his hand more tightly. Hermione on his other side mirrored her grip on Harry's other hand.
Harry said, "Tell me what my options are."
"First, you could do nothing. Unfortunately, this is an untenable position. Ragnok will be informed of the presence of your Horcrux. If you refuse to attempt the removal at all with us, you will be given a list of the three other groups that could possibly do it. The Unspeakables are one, but I wouldn't personally trust them with my dog."
Luna said, "Mother didn't trust them either, even though she worked for them some of the time."
"Great," muttered Harry, "And the other two?"
"The Vatican's group would be my bet. They are not better than us, no matter how much they say they are, but their group is at least comparable. There is also a group in the States. They are competent, but the Vatican group is better. Either of the decent alternatives means the ICW finds out that Voldemort is not dead, and the ICW will act. They will come in and steamroll over all opposition. A lot of people could die needlessly, though to be fair, some would say we'd be better off if they replaced our rather corrupt government. Either way, your choices are to get it removed, or run. If you run Gringotts must inform the ICW and you will be hunted. They will try to take you alive and they will try to remove it, but in that case, I'd bet you'd have a one in three of a chance to live, rather than to die. You may also get killed by a bounty hunter who won't care at all, particularly if they fail to capture you fairly quickly."
"So I really have little choice at all. Okay what are your options?" Hands on either side of him squeezed tighter.
"First, we could take you back to Gringotts, likely taking this same team back there and use our skills and a specially setup room to remove it. The other option is you do what your going to do, with your group as a primary focus and we just change our initial setup to instead expel the Horcrux. You all would focus simply on Harry's safety and getting that thing out of him. Nothing else. You would not think about destroying it, while it is connected to Harry. No one is going to stop you if you direct your combined magic against it afterwards, but there is no need. We will get that job done in any event."
Hermione, "Which one is safer for Harry?" Luna and Lafiel nodded their agreement with the question. It was probably fortunate that Mr. and Mrs. Granger were inside right now.
"It's hard to say. Personally I'd bet on your friends. If we do this right, then we shred a piece of Voldemort's soul and use it as the template for what we are guarding against. Your own magic will be in it too, though probably not as much as our original plan. Ward wise this is stronger, but I would only consider Harry's safety, which is the key thing here."
"Does it risk Lafiel, Hermione, or Luna."
"You don't get to play with magic on this level without risk. You also have no chance of surviving the removal without risk."
Harry said, "The we should go to Gring..."
He was cut off when Lafiel's hand squeezed down hard. She spun to face him. "You do not choose my path! In the name of the Abriel, I forbid it."
Hermione was a bit shocked at Lafiel's anger, but she quickly recovered and turned to face Harry as well. "Don't even think about it. You came for me. You saved me, time and time again. I won't walk away now."
"Luna?" he hazarded sheepishly.
"There is no way I'm missing this. You can feel it in the air. Change is creeping through the pattern and we stand at a nexus. I will be a part of this."
"Hermione, think of what your parents..."
"Don't you dare."
Harry sighed. "Don't I get any say in this?"
Three voices as one said, "No. You do not," before smiling. It was a smile that more resembled the cat that ate the canary, but was charming nonetheless."
Harry said softly, "Then I will trust you with this." Their smiles grew wider.
Samantha said, "Let's get moving. They already have the changes ready. The most important thing for you is this. Your job is not to fight, not to control. With the Horcrux in your head, any magic you summon could possibly be ripped from you by the soul shard and used against you."
"Then what do I do?" exclaimed Harry with a touch of panic in his tone.
"I want you to place your trust, your magic, and your soul with Lafiel. Think of it in those terms, and your magic should understand. She will naturally release it when we are done. The key is first to deny the soul shard your resources, which means briefly turning them over to someone else. Lafiel will guard all that you are, and Hermione and Luna will guard her, and you through her. Once your soul is as safe as can be, and they will know when that is, they will force the soul fragment out through Lafiel's connection to you."
Lafiel and Hermione squeezed his hands in support. Lafiel said, "On my honor as an Abriel, I will not fail you."
Hermione seemed slightly annoyed. She said, "I will not fail you either Harry. I promise."
"Me three," chimed in Luna who seemed more than a little amused at the dynamic developing.
Samantha said, "Go sit. Focus on what I have told you. We will begin soon. I will cast a privacy bubble around you, should you four wish to talk."
Lafiel said, "Luna knows who I am, and while I know Hermione doesn't know Occlumency yet, I'm sure she will learn it quickly." Luna gave her a small nod.
"In the distant future, a race of genetically modified humans was created that eventually formed their own society. Later still they formed an empire. We did not seek to control day to day operations of planets, but we sought to keep order, and to minimize wars. I am the granddaughter of the Queen of my people. My father is the son of the Queen. My mother is a captain in our space forces."
She hesitated. Luna gave a small nod again. "I, like most of my race underwent gestation in an artificial uterus after the fertilized egg was removed from my mother."
Hermione asked, "Are you serious?"
Luna said, "She is."
"I have so many questions. Do you have a ship? How did you get here. Did you know about magic?"
"Yes. In the ship. No, we thought we had found a new particle."
Hermione's scowl caused Harry to laugh. He pulled Lafiel, then Hermione into a hug. Luna piled into it as well. He said, "I trust you all."
Hermione said, "I don't care about how you were born. That is as silly as that pureblood nonsense. I trust you too and will guard you, and I promise I'll work hard to learn to defend my thoughts and help Harry too."
Luna grinned, even as a few tears fell down her face. Harry awkwardly tried to pat her back, while keeping the others in his arms.
A few minutes later, the privacy bubble vanished.
Their last instructions before it began was to remove their shirts, but keep their bra's and such. Luna, who didn't yet wear a bra, was quickly provided one from Hermione's older clothes.
Unfortunately, this was how their parents found about what was going to happen. They immediately insisted it stop, or at least Hermione be excluded. Both the parents even offered to take her place.
The goblin ward master said simply, "I'm sorry, but no. They have agreed, and this is our best chance to save Mr. Potter's life, as well as the country from a likely civil war. If one or more wish not to do this, then we will adapt, but as long as they are willing, we are going to proceed."
Both parents were extremely upset. Dan said, "Can't they at least cover up?"
Samantha answered, "What we are doing is dangerous. What they are doing is probably made slightly safer by removing things that might slow the flow of magic. Removing their shirts effectively does this. Nothing more is required."
Harry, by now had a full body blush as Lafiel embraced him from behind, with Hermione and Luna behind her and basically hugging their selves to Lafiel, while their arms came around his middle as well.
Emma said, "It seems a little indecent."
Samantha snorted. "What we are trying to fix is indecent. This is nothing."
Lafiel whispered in Harry's ear a long sentence in her native language. Harry asked, "What did you say?"
"You will find out soon. For now, I am here. You are safe."
Bill Weasley was seriously debating his life choices as he sat on the side of the porch, looking out over what was no doubt going to be a major working that was probably going to blow past the wards they had established to hide their work. Well, it wouldn't be the first time, and likely wouldn't be the last. The ministry was notified, even if it was filed in a way, that it likely wouldn't even be read, well, probably not till after the alarms went off, which would likely be in the next twenty minutes, if he had to guess.
He glanced over at the Grangers, and again questioned if it would have been better to never have made the offer. For what must be the tenth time he came to the conclusion of no, it wouldn't. Not knowing about a problem did not fix a problem.
He knew the Headmaster was going to be particularly irritated with him, for getting Harry into this mess, but then he had to know or at least highly suspect what was in Harry's scar. The leader of the team had sensed something was off just by being near Harry. He may be the best the goblins have to offer, but then so was Albus Dumbledore. Poppy had to have found that there was something dark as all heck in his scar. She may have not know what it was, but she would have told Dumbledore, and he would have either known, suspected, or found out, which meant he at least suspected and did nothing.
It was possible he supposed that Albus didn't think there was anything that could be done, and figured to just let Harry live while he could. It might explain part of why Harry had to go back to Privet drive, if that was somehow a layer of Harry's defense. What did not make sense, is why didn't he at least ask? The number of groups in the world that could help Harry was limited, but other than their own, they knew of two other credible sources, and he suspected they could find one or two others if they really looked. It made no sense, other than perhaps him trying to keep secret that Voldemort had made the foul creations so that, so that he could find them? Did he make more than one? If so, just how many did the monster make?
He remembered Ron describing the events of second year, and of the book that had possessed Ginny. Was that one? Were their others? In hindsight he should have suspected it at the time, but then he didn't even learn of the abominations till a few months ago, and never expected to find one. Only senior curse breakers were taught about the truly nasty stuff, because somebody on their teams had to know about it.
The yard in front of the Granger's house had been replaced with black marble, inlaid with the best ward scheme Gringotts could manage, combined with a very nasty little mix that Samantha and the Ward Master had come up with to take Volemort's soul fragment and rip it to pieces before using it as the heart of their defenses. It was ironic that if you wanted to ward against a specific person or group, the best people to ward your home turned out to be that person or group, well provided you trusted them to try to do a good job. Voldemort himself might break himself on these wards when they were done, if it all worked.
He could see the power sharing triangle that they were using before now merged into the middle of the ward matrix. They could have drawn one from scratch, but using what had already tasted and learned the power it would channel was better.
He could see the signs and sigils on the outer perimeter start to glow with the power of the goblins and humans who were part of this working. He had offered to help, but had gotten a different task. He was there in case the whole thing went pear shaped. He had a goblin portkey and would save who he could, if it came to that, well, or die trying.
The whole array was live now. Dim, but alive, and he could see Harry glow with white light, yet he could see the darkness too at his forehead, exposed for all to see thanks to the goblin runes surrounding their triangle. Harry was directly facing Lafiel. At the last minuted she had insisted. Her legs were over his. Their arms were wrapped around each other, rather like they were going to kiss, but it was clearly not that. The boy looked terrified until something in the girl's expression calmed him. He saw resolve crystallized in her enchanting blue eyes.
Harry felt his panic rising when Lafiel touched the center of her forehead to his. He could still see her eyes, so clear and resolute.
He let go of the pain he could hardly remember having, of anger, of despair, of hope, of passion, of desire, of magic. He gave it all to her, with no regrets, no doubts. He was scared, but then he gave that away to, trusting in this relative stranger, because the magic they had shared then and now was enough that he did trust her.
Bill was stunned as he saw Harry's magic flare like the sun and vanish, only for the magic around Lafiel to become far too intense too look at. Hermione and Luna's adding yet more colors to the mix.
He saw the black mass rage, and try to spread over Harry's body, but then he saw the expression on the girl. No, he saw the expression on all the girls. It was as if they shouted as one, "This shall not be."
In a castle in the Scottish highlands, every single device connected to Harry potter exploded. The headmaster only just got up a shield in time, and even then his leg still was lightly lacerated.
He ignored the pain. "Fawkes. I need to get to Harry Potter now!"
Fawkes chirped a sad reply at him.
"What do you mean not yet?"
Albus rushed to the floo, connecting to the Weasley's. Molly answered.
"Molly where is Harry Potter?"
"He should be at Hermione's house. They were..."
Whatever she was going to say was lost as the headmaster cut the flue connection, before establishing one to the leaky cauldron." He hopped through, then was out the door and apperating before the door was able to close. He arrived at the Grangers only to bounce off the temporary wards and get smacked into a tree. He pulled a small potion from inside his robes and downed it, before making his way on foot back to the Grangers.
He quickly saw the forming ward array, and while there was nothing specifically to keep him from entering on foot, the outside of the area was already sealed. The only way passed that working was to overload it, likely killing everyone present, including himself, that is assuming he could, which he began to very much doubt.
He recognized Lafiel, even if the color of her hair and ears surprised him. He saw the moment when Harry gave his magic to her and saw the Horcrux starting to try to take over Harry's now magically vacant body, and then he saw what he was sure was impossible. The girls and their magic, including Harry's magic pushed, gently but insistently tearing the abomination from his body.
Seconds. Minutes. He had no idea, but suddenly it was free. He could see additional runes start to react, but before they even truly formed lavender fire formed and burned the abomination. This wasn't just bluebell flames. He could feel the heat even from here as the soul was incinerated in magical fire.
The next layer of runes reacted, spreading the fire up and out, until it was absorbed right into the warding matrix.
They just used a part of Voldemort's soul to do ward lighting. That was crazy, impossible, absurd. It was brilliant. The Privet Drive wards may be gone, but it didn't matter. Harry would have to stay here. Surely they would let him? He was sure he could convince them if he had to.
The rest of the ward lighting went as expected, well if you expected war wards at a muggle home. That was liable to be a mess, and he doubted the Granger's actually agreed to that.
Inside the house, all the electronics went up in smoke. In the driveway and the garage their cars electronics died. The only thing that survived was Lafiel's tablet which the ward master had temporarily moved to Gringotts.
The headmaster quickly verified that muggle repelling wards were a part of this working. The occupants should not be affected, since they were part of their working, as was their daughter's magic.
The headmaster refocused the magic in his glasses on Harry now getting a clearer view and gasped.
Lafiel's smile grew even more serene as she gently moved Harry till his head sat in her lap. They could sense it, the horrible damage the shard did to inside Harry's body. From her own studies she knew how a body worked, or rather how an Abh body worked. From Luna, she had an inherent understanding of magic. From Hermione she knew much about human bodies and she knew how Harry must be. He must be made well.
They called it all together, along with Harry's magic and his desire to live. They called it and asked it. They demanded it to put right what was wrong, to heal the vessels, cells, neurons, heart, eyes, muscles, bones. The magic was more that just a spell at this time. It was purpose given form, but that purpose was not just to help Harry, for Harry's magic was part of the purpose.
The purpose was not really sentient. Harry's magic was here, but Harry was not. It's purpose was fix it. It was connected to others. It saw all of their bodies, and understood what correct was, as evaluated by all among it, and so it worked. It began.
Each body was healed and improved, effectively becoming half Abh, save for Lafiel who was unchanged. Each got lighter or darker blue hair, depending on their original hair color, but no one got features like Lafiel's ears. Lafiel got just a touch of the deeper magic that was linked to Luna's own line, subtracting it from Luna in the process, and allowing her to more readily function normally. Hermione's connection to magic was sharpened and deepened.
The purpose was complete. It's last task was to return that which was Harry to Harry. It completed its work and was content before even that vanished. The four fell unconscious as the Adrenalin and magic that was sustaining them was cut.
The wards snapped into place, causing everyone connected to them, except for the quartet, to be blown twenty feet back. Bill quickly sent off an emergency message to Gringotts asking for the rest of his team and a medical team. He quickly moved from person to person, verifying that all would be well. The worst injury was in the ward master. His magic felt frayed and burned and his leg was clearly broken. Bill moved on. He would likely be fine, and it was best to wait for the medics.
He was almost finished with his circuit when he felt the ward knock, only to find Albus Dumbledore on the other side of the wards. He quickly pulled him across, before feeling a similar knock back where he was. He rushed over there and pulled across one at a time several members of the Gringotts medical staff, before also pulling across his own team.
He was quickly instructed the medical team of his initial findings and who was left to check, then he reported to his boss, quickly outlining what they had done, before bringing him over to the plans the master warder had created. He was surprised when a couple minutes later Ragnok himself showed up and wanted across. He quickly moved to obey, only to see Albus Dumbledore looking at them, while one of the human doctors was healing his injuries.
Dumbledore thanked the young woman, before moving over to Bill and the king and establishing a privacy charm.
"You have been quite busy, haven't you my boy."
Bill laughed, then caught the expression of the goblin king and quickly reigned himself in. "My apologies Lord Ragnok. It has been a stressful day."
"Report," the king demanded.
"A failed Horcrux was found tied to Harry Potter. We adapted the ward lighting to burn it. We succeeded. I don't think there are any major injuries. I'm not sure what to make of all the blue hair. Most likely the result of true magic."
"Surely you are not serious," said the headmaster.
"True magic is when magic does what cannot be explained by all our understanding of magic. It is the magic's magic. The proven cases of it are what three or four?"
"Eight. Wizard records would seem to need improvement," he said dryly. He then added, "We will determine the truth of this in time. For now pass along my order. The events of today are sealed."
"I understand. I will obey and relay your orders."
The king turned to Albus. "You knew. You had to have known about it."
The headmaster sighed. "Perhaps I am an old fool who tries to do too much. I didn't know. I wasn't sure, but I suspected. It was all I could do to talk Poppy out of revealing it or telling Mr. Potter. I honestly did not think he would survive a removal attempt."
"How many?" asked the King.
"The diary Lucius Malfoy gave to Ginny Weasley in Mr. Potter's second year was one, which is why I thought Harry might be. That has been destroyed. My guess is five or seven. Tom had a fascination with Hogwarts relics. A lot of guesses. I keep intending to track them down, and now so many know."
"Would anyone know?"
"Possibly Slughorn. I known he knew a lot of Dark Arts and Tom was one of his proteges."
"He owes us money. He will tell us. If one of his followers had one, others may. We will deal with what we can, but there is a price."
"Of course. What do you wish?"
"Dismiss Binns. Hire someone competent that teaches actual history."
"You do know that we can't avoid teaching about the goblin rebellions. I can try to get someone to give a more balanced perspective, but doing more would cause the ministry to take action."
"Do so. Voldemort was good for no one. You will also need to come up with an appropriate story for all the blue hair. Do let me know what it is when you come up with one." The king grinned.
Albus sighed.
We'll if they could, somehow clean up this mess, perhaps he would retire from a position or two.
Now how the heck was he going to explain a group with blue hair? Potions accident? Someone mixed Polyjuice with one of the Weasley twins messes and maybe one of Ronald's potions?
He'd work on it, maybe get Severus's help. Of course, he may have to revise Severus's idea a bit, well, or ignore it. Maybe Ron attempted to brew something with the Weasley twins special ingredients? He would work on it.