In their next arithmancy class Lafiel again brought out her tablet and used it to display what she called a Bajou or Riding match. In a match two contestants would be connected via a flexible rope from wrist to wrist. They would float in a room without artificial gravity.
In their other hands would be a short staff with a round cylinder on the end. The goal of each contestant would be to knock the staff out of the other contestants hands. You could pull your opponent to you, or you towards your opponent.
Septima said, "That is a very curious game. It is from your home I take it?"
Lafiel nodded.
"Some kind of true weightless charm?" she asked.
"No. They were on a space station in outer space."
Septima and Draco's eyes widened, but they said nothing.
Lafiel said, "I wish to see if we can duplicate the zero gravity effect and the game too, but that is easy if we manage the first."
"How?" asked Draco.
Lafiel said, "The key is in the arithmancy of the featherweight charm. If necessary we can simulate the rest with our flight suits, but I would like to, if possible, make a room that simulates zero gravity to whomever goes inside, suit or not."
She took out several papers and with a wave of her wand copied the contents of her papers onto the chalkboards. She then pulled out a simple glass cube with runes etched onto all sides. Inside were a pair of glass marbles connected by a string.
The glass marbles were sitting on the bottom of the glass box. She touched several runes, causing the whole thing to glow and then gently shook the box causing the marbles inside to bang together then off walls then together again in apparently unending motion. She quickly set the box down and seconds later a large crack was heard and the marbles fell out of the now broken box.
She said, "This was my current best guess as to the necessary rune array. The arithmancy and the physics I know suggested that the rune array should have lasted far longer than this. The arithmancy I used is on the right hand board. Can anyone tell me what I did wrong?"
Luna asked, "Does gravity really stop at the edges of a box? That seems kind of silly. I didn't think it worked that way."
"It doesn't. This is an approximate simulation. It was an approximation that was necessary to make this work."
Luna asked, "Why?"
"Because the box is a three dimensional space with a bounded area."
"Why?" persisted Luna.
"Because that is how a box works…? I feel that I am missing something," she said.
"Why does the box need to be a bounded area?"
"Because an infinite area inside a bounded area makes no sense." She trailed off.
Luna grinned. Lafiel's smiled a few seconds later.
Hermione asked, "Care to explain it for the rest of us?"
Lafiel said, "Luna correctly pointed out that with magic we are not necessarily limited to ordinary physics. The space inside an expanded space appears, from the inside to be much larger than it really is. Many of you may have bags that do this, that in fact already make everything inside featherweight."
Hermione said, "So your saying, we just use the same design as for the bags? That can't be all of it."
"No, it isn't, but when the expansion is in effect you have more space to work with. The equations become easier to solve in the larger space. Simply put, it is clearly a good starting point. Thanks Luna."
She went up to the chalk board, erased it with her wand and started drawing a new rune scheme line by line, absently correcting her work from time to time.
Septima pulled out a book, found the page she was looking for, and 0directed a copy to the board to her left. She said, "I believe that is what you are looking for, though perhaps not. You have already made changes I see."
"Yes, I"m trying to truly bring the apparent gravity down to zero."
Septima snorted. "People have been trying to make the featherweight charm the no weight charm for ages with no luck."
"I'm not trying to make the room weigh nothing. I'm trying to make the contents of the room weigh nothing. The actual weight will only be felt outside the warped space. It can even be heavier if need be."
Daphne got up and took a closer look. She said, "I don't think your layered approach is going to work. No matter how you do it, I don't think you can make the runic scheme balance. The space may be unstable. The greater space helps, but it just chases the problem farther away."
Luna said, "Unstable space sounds fun. What is the problem?"
Lafiel said, "Daphne's right. If I push the errors into the space expansion, then I have to either let the expansion grow without bound, fail catastrophically, or let the errors go the other way and let the space shrink over time, until the rune fails. Actually, that could work. If we bias it towards the expanded space shrinking, then the room has a time limit. We can probably control that to some extent, but when it is done, gravity is back and everyone is in the expanded space. We are not truly trying to limit the instability, but rather manage it with the expansion and gravity returning to normal at the same time. I think this will work."
"How long will the room last?" asked Harry.
Daphne said, "It would depend on how much magic was absorbed. I'm guessing an hour, more or less should be doable?"
Lafiel nodded.
Septima said, "Now all you need is a room. I trust you can deal with using an unused classroom? It may not be a perfect cube, but that shouldn't matter much."
"Agreed," said Lafiel. "It may make the room less efficient, but not by much."
"Good," said Septima. "Since I feel I don't give you guys enough homework, I want each of you, by yourself, to create something like what Lafiel brought in, using the updated design. Coordinate that with her. We will test them in the next class, and if you impress the headmaster, we may get a room for you to use."
They were about to leave when Septima asked, "Lafiel, Draco, can you remain behind for a moment?"
They did so, even if the others looked curious before leaving. Septima said to Lafiel, "So you have been to outer space. I'd find that impossible to believe, were it not you. Care to elaborate?"
Lafiel smiled. She said, "I want to make a pensive, or maybe buy one, but if you like I'll show you, and you as well, if you want Draco."
"I'm surprised you trust me," muttered Draco.
"It is clear you care for Astoria, and to protect Astoria you have to protect Daphne, so that indirectly means you would need to protect all of our secrets."
"You have thought this through then," said a half surprised Draco.
"Of course." She mentally focused on where she would sleep and her Ravenclaw clothes changed to Green and Silver. She said, "I'll sleep in Daphne's dorm tonight, but if you have questions on this, I can teach you in the common room."
"Some of them think your may not be a pure blood."
Lafiel laughed. "I am an heir to royalty, and yet magically I am new to it. I'm sure that would satisfy no one, so best not to mention it."
"I won't." Draco chuckled. "You know there are Slytherins that still want to catch Daphne's attention, even after the whole getting blue hair and looking more like you. To some, she is even more interesting. It is a new thing for Slytherins to be interested in a girl because of their skills rather than their looks."
"It shouldn't be," Septima muttered.
"And me," Lafiel asked. "What do they think of me?"
"Most figure you and Potter, maybe with Granger. A few think Luna and Daphne might be in the mix."
Lafiel mused, "Perhaps something will develop with Harry and Hermione. Perhaps not. For now we are just friends, as to others, well I would not care to have a child with Daphne, since she is now a close relation. Having a child of Luna's would be a honor some day though."
"What?" Draco asked.. "I thought you said that you weren't interested in anyone else?"
"You misunderstand. My people do not marry though we often have life long relationships. Asking for a persons genes to help make a child is a very honorable request, but does not, in itself, indicate a lifelong relationship."
Draco asked, "You mean you have sex with someone your not married to?"
Lafiel laughed. "While not forbidden, that is generally frowned upon. No, it is possible to become pregnant without that."
"How?" Draco asked dumbfounded.
"Muggles doctors can help with such things," added Septima.
"Huh?" asked Draco.
"I could get you a book," responded Lafiel dryly.
"Pass."
Lafiel and Septima laughed.
The mirrors for the two other schools ended up being mirrors for four other schools, after Fleur pointed out that Ilvermorny and Salem would also likely appreciate such things. This did not lead to a significant delay since Nadia was able find an area of the sea bed where there was a larger amount of silver in the water and Victor and Fleur both agreed to supply the potion. They did it the old fashion way. They ordered it.
In the end they created five sets of five mirrors, to cover all possible combinations. Today, Harry was relieved and a little saddened to deliver the last set to Salem Witches academy. It was actually the only all girl magic school in the entire world. It was also where Team Blue minus Nadia and Albus Dumbledore were walking up the supposedly secret path to the Witches school after having taken a rather uncomfortable international portkey to get here. The mirrors were stored vertically on a cart built for this purpose which was easily pulled by Harry and Daphne with the help of magic.
They got within sight of the schools massive doors only to meet a woman who might give Minerva a run for her money in her stern expression. She looked over the bunch of people with blue hair and the Headmaster of Hogwarts.
Albus greeted, "Good day Madam."
"Dumbledore," she greeted coolly.
"We bring gifts," he tried.
"I think we can do without hair dye at this school. Now, if that will be all."
Harry considered speaking, but Lafiel beat him to it. She walked a few steps, then with a mischievous smile on her face said casually, "Team, perhaps we need to prove ourselves? She then calmly slipped behind Harry and placed her hands on his own. Luna and Hermione touched Lafiel's left and right hands, while Daphne laid a hand on her neck.
Albus said, "I'm not sure that is a good idea."
The Headmistress of Ilvermony looked on with some confusion as the boy withdrew his wand and pointed it at the sky shouting, "Expecto Patronum!"
A solid golden bar of light shot out of his wand and formed into the sky as a great golden dragon, seemingly real as life that immediately shouted defiance before flying fast around all the turrets of the castle that held Salem Witches Academy. When it finished it landed next to the boy who smiled and bowed his thanks before letting the magic fade.
And it wasn't just the magic around the boy. While that, whatever that was, was active, both the boy and girl holding him were lit so brightly with magic that it was painful to look at, while the others were bright as well.
She was about to get her bearings when dozens of students suddenly opened the doors behind her. "Crap," she muttered.
Attempting to restore order and make some sense of this mess, and insane display of magic, she said loudly, "I believe you were about to explain why you journeyed so far to see us."
Albus smiled. That bit of mischief was going to cause him headaches, not least of was it was now impossible to keep that ability secret. Still, maybe their real reason for being here would help. He said, "Indeed. Let me introduce you to the Advanced Arithmancy class at Hogwarts. They have a gift for you."
"What kind of gift?"
Albus was amused with all the talking and gawking around them, particularly all the people looking at the blue hair. A lot of them were just looking at Harry, because he was probably the only guy in several hundred miles. He smirked before he caught himself and said smoothly. "Communication Mirrors. You can talk to any of the other four great schools."
The headmistress said, "That is interesting, and I admit it is hard to find pairs of those that are reliable, but I fail to see..."
Albus said, "Did I mention they were five by ten foot each?"
"You can't enlarge something so heavily enchanted," she stated without thought.
"True," the Headmaster responded.
"And what do you expect me to do with these mirrors?"
The headmaster of Hogwarts could tell she was just trying to find a way to end this conversation, and get away from all the kids, well that and make them go away. He smiled his best smile. "We'll, if you have a large room that is not in use, that should work well. You can add dividers if people want to talk privately."
"You expect me to allow this?" said the Headmistress. She was forced to sigh when it seemed like several hundred people were begging her to please accept them. She did sigh. "Very well. There is a large conference room outside my office. We will try there for now."
The Headmistress of Salem turned around and walked into her school with what seemed the whole population of the school trailing behind, though about twenty tried to help Harry and Daphne with the cart. They picked two at random and let them do it, while leading the way.
Ten minutes later the Headmistress of the school was applying permanent sticking charms to the mirrors frames and lining them up beside each other along the long wall.
When they were done Lafiel nudged Hermione who with a wave of her wand said, "It's show time." All five screens lit up showing students from all the other schools, including about twice as many boys than girls in each frame. They all said at the same time, "Good morning Salem Witches Academy."
The headmistress turned to Albus with a glare that would melt the flesh of weaker individuals.
Albus said quickly, "We should probably be getting going now." He sighed when he noticed that all of the students he brought in were being swarmed with questions. These were the times he wished Fawkes hadn't apparently decided that his original master was his current one. Oh look her glare was getting worse. We'll they were already here, perhaps he could push things along a bit, in a direction that would ultimately be useful? Yes, it would serve that smiling person for her courteous behavior.
He said loudly, "How would your best Arithmancy and Runes student like to attend a lecture by the group that made these mirrors? We could even do it here, where everyone can hear." Oh look she was into the purple. He hadn't had this much fun in ages.
The Salem headmistress was forced to agree. The room was cleared out except for twenty one students, that he privately expected may be all the arithmancy students in their last three years.
Albus was amused that the Hogwarts students so quickly looked to Lafiel for leadership. She cast a sonorous at herself, duplicated a few pages of her notes, enlarged then, and with a few wand flicks enlarged them to take the place of blackboards.
Albus could not help but be surprised at someone with neat penmanship when they probably could not have expected this to be used this way. The fact that there were comments in the margins in what he assumed was her native language only interested him more.
She said, "We were provided with the Arithmancy for these. We double checked it of course, but we can't take any credit for this. We built the mirrors with a bit of help from Fleur Delacour, Victor Krum, and our friend Nadia."
"How?" several of them asked.
"It would take months to carve all that silver for just one."
Lafiel responded with a smile and a grin before saying, "We could tell you of course, but where would the fun be in that? You now know it is possible to make such things relatively quickly. I wonder how long it will take you to figure it out?"
They grumbled at that, even as a few of them were writing the rune diagrams down.
Harry pulled back his sleeves to show off his white flight suit. He then said loudly, "These are ours though." He rose in the air and touched the ceiling. The others rose with him, flying together and just having a bit of fun in the thankfully two story room.
"Show us how to make those!" several demanded and other similar remarks.
Luna replied for them by saying, "Nope!" with a pop of the letter p and grinning. She then added, "Gringotts London is coordinating sales though, should you be interested."
Daphne grabbed hold of Hermione and semi tossed her into Harry and Lafiel. It was nothing serious, since they could easily stop with their own suits. Then her grin turned haughty, "Of course, if you are the best. I'm sure you will have no problems duplicating what we have done. Right?"
The headmistress of Salem growled, "Challenge accepted girl."
Daphne laughed.
Lafiel decided to turn it up to eleven. She settled to the ground and the others followed her. She got Harry's attention and took his hand, even as the other quietly did the same, forming a circle. This got people's attention.
She said, "I've not done this before, so I'm cheating a bit to manage this. Watch."
With their help, she called up a memory of several years ago and with nothing but pure force of magic and intent forced it into an illusion replaying her last Bajou or Riding match in zero gravity, complete with tether, batons, and sound. They watched as a younger Lafiel fought against several opponents as they bounced around space, coming together, twisting and dodging. They fought desperately, dealing with the lack of gravity, to use their baton to disarm the other.
As she let the scene fade she said, "This is a game I hope to play again soon."
"How?"
"We don't have a rocket ship," said one older girl.
Lafiel grinned. She said, "It is quite simple. I'll even show you." She directed her papers and things back in her expanded bag.
Luna laughed.
Harry said sheepishly, "There is a bit more to it than that, but feel free to stop by Hogwarts in a couple weeks. We should have it going then."
They all turned to the Hogwarts Headmaster.
He shrugged. "I certainly have no objections. If your Headmistress approves then my deputy can arrange what needs to be arranged."
The Salem Headmistress said, "Now that I'm sure the Hogwarts group is tired and probably needs to get back, right?" The last was said with special emphasis.
Albus said, "You are probably right. Is everyone ready to go?" He absently vanished the no longer useful cart as his students gathered together.
They had opened a door today. It remained to be seen where it would end, but at least they seemed to be making progress again. He had forgotten what that felt like; with all those years spent on trying to figure out how to stop Tom.
It took them a full week to discover that Hogwarts was messing with their attempts to build a zero gravity room. The surges of magic present at Hogwarts were normally not a problem, but this was not a bag, but a large room to start with. The surges tended to destabilize the room causing the expanded space to shrink and also to remove the zero gravity effect, resulting in only ten minute operation, when they wanted at least a couple of hours.
The solution was simple, if not as simple as they had hoped. They needed a new building. Fortunately an area beside the boathouse was available. They produced a dozen plates from their x-y table, all with neatly drawn runes, that were oddly stretched in the corners. They then built the plates into a giant dodecahedron before using transfiguration to make it a perfect sphere. This caused the stretched runes to be correctly sized. Next they used more transfiguration to make it two hundred feet in diameter. A ten foot hole was created at the top of it.
Next the group cast an impervious charm on the outside of the ball before using additional magic to remove a massive amount of Earth for the ball to fit down in. Group transfiguration was used to finish the excavation, with the end result being the ball buried two thirds of the way in the ground.
After that they had delivered over a massive pile of muggle concrete reinforcing rod and used transfiguration to create a massive reinforcement grid formed inside the ball. The rebar cage floated in the middle of the ball. Transfiguration meant it was effectively one piece without seems.
After that came the first concrete trucks. They were port keyed to near Hogwarts by the goblins and then drove right in. A second transfigured ball was set inside the first, also floating, providing a two foot thick space for concrete. Runes were inscribed on the inside of it, which would cause it to vibrate gently once activated. The concrete used contained what was called a super plasticizer and fiber reinforcement. Magic was used to create ramps that worked uphill, allowing the concrete trucks to swiftly fill the ball with concrete. When it was about half full the runes on the inner ball were activated to vibrate the concrete and purge air bubbles.
It took close to two days and just under a twenty trucks of concrete for the entire team plus the help of the Goblins to finish the concrete. The Goblins had agreed to help and provide the concrete, provided Team blue helped them duplicate the room.
The concrete had to sit the rest of the week to cure. It would take another three weeks to gain most of its strength, but the week was sufficient to begin to use it, which was fortunate, since that is when Puddlemere United showed up, along with the Bulgarian Quidditch team.
Before long they had all of Hogwarts out by the ball. The headmaster quickly transfigured the leftover dirt to make a ramp into the ball where he saw that Team Blue was standing.
Harry asked the Headmaster, "Would you like to do us the honor and vanish the inside sphere, then the outside one?"
The headmaster grinned as he flourished his wand. It took him several minutes to vanish the inner and just as long to vanish the outside sphere which now contained the runes the sphere needed to operate.
Team blue knelt in a circle around the entrance to the sphere holding hands. Seconds later the inside was glowing with a soft warm light.
Luna jumped in, only to slowly drift to the bottom before she kicked off again. The others quickly followed her, testing the ball.
Dumbledore stepped in as well, carefully drifting to the bottom and then applying a sticking charm to his feet.
He said dryly, "We really should test this for a few weeks, but as we do have two professional quidditch teams here. Well, what say you all, is it safe?" The headmaster deliberately smacked the floor with his hand, verifying that a cushioning charm was a part of it. He smiled when there was no pain.
Hermione said, "It's good. Samantha reviewed the design. This is just bigger and better. The sphere makes it even easier."
"Are you sure about the concrete with metal inside.?" asked the Headmaster. "It is a muggle material."
Lafiel said, "We designed the reinforcement pattern to actually support the rune scheme. It's not a big effect, but the math says it should help." She shrugged.
"Good, well, if your sure its safe, I suppose its time for a game. Can I count on you all to supply sticking charms to the non contestants?"
They quickly agreed, and soon Hogwarts walked into the sphere and thanks to their sticking charm walked around the now thousand foot wide space that seemed to be lit from all around. The quidditch players walked around as well, until Krum and the Puddlemere keeper walked to the center and tied ropes to their arms with special bracers that reduced the shock loading. They then canceled their sticking charms and jumped to the middle of the arena.
It took them the better part of an hour to get the hang of it, while house elves popped around handing out refreshments. Once they did the pace picked up rapidly as each side tried to knock their opponents baton out of their hand, but neither side gave up easily, twisting and dodging to try to avoid losing.
Every now and then the opponents would impact the wall, but the cushioning charms would cause them to bounce gently. After that happened they simply pushed away and got back at it.
Krum won.
Flashes went off from both the Hogwarts students and press that came with the quidditch teams. A new sport was born and then almost forgotten as it soon became a free for all game of zero gravity dodge ball, thanks to the conjuring skills of some inventive muggleborn students.
It gave it a whole new meaning when the game was three dimensional.
Demand for copies of what they made at Hogwarts grew. The goblins even improved the rune scheme and made it easier for a group of people to charge it that couldn't link like Team Blue did. They also had already duplicated their own equivalent to Team Blue's workshop and had hired talented muggle parents to help them run it.
It turned out that the team didn't have to do any more work at all, and still got half of all future profits for the next fifty years.
A pair of seventh years learned an important lesson about a week later when they snuck in after a match was over. It turned out to be quite difficult to get out when the runes weren't active.
Thankfully the cushioning spell was permanent and active at all times. The pair of seventh years Minerva caught with less than the appropriate amount of clothing was quite annoyed when she levitated them one at a time out of the ball and conjured clothes around them.
After she finished walking down to the ground where she had placed them, she said dryly, "You two should know, that the anti pregnancy wards don't work outside the castle."
The young woman shrieked and was about to dash off when Minerva said, "Detention for two weeks with Filch, and do go see Madam Pomfrey now please."
The young woman dashed off.
Twenty minutes later Minerva was in the Headmaster's office. She said simply, "Put a lock on the ball, well that and maybe some anti pregnancy warding."
"You caught them then?" he said faintly amused.
"Hopefully soon enough. I gave them two weeks detention and sent her along to Poppy. Merlin knows we need more children, but seventh year is far too young."
"Keep me posted. I'll ask the Goblins to add the door they created for some others, since it seems simply spelling the entrance to keep out rain is no longer enough. We really should have thought of this, but I suppose none of us think like kids anymore."
"I should think not," sniffed Minerva.
"I wonder what they will do next?" he mused.
"Surely you have some idea?" asked Minerva.
"Oh, I quite think they intend to travel to outer space, but details are murky."
"Surely you are kidding."
The old headmaster said, "No, I'm not actually. The ability to fly. The ability to produce steam for thrust in amounts that are quite frightening if they ever built their full design. The ability to communicate, via mirrors and other things. The ability to adapt to life in space, via a room that simulates it. The pieces are there, even her push of other schools to accelerate their learning. There is also that book they were all carrying around. I've had a copy from the Goblins for some time. Mind you its not the best translation, but it works. It is far better than simple occlumency training, though I think it began as that. It teaches how to maximize ones potential, and of course they have Fleur, Victor, and Hermione helping to get it produced around the world."
"What is her goal then?" Minerva asked.
"Nothing bad I think, but certainly interesting. I looked at my memories of the notes placed in the margin of her notes when she displayed them in Salem. That language is not in any magical library. I even tried a muggle library, but they could find no match for it. My guess is she is searching for a way home, methodically taking everything step by step, building resources, including people around the magical world that can help her."
He suddenly laughed.
Minerva asked, "What is so funny?"
"That young woman has been far more successful at reshaping our world than Tom ever was. She was even part of it when Tom died, effectively helping to end him. From what I can tell, she did it because he endangered Harry. Remarkable."
Minerva asked, "And should I fear Mr. Potter and the others leaving the planet anytime soon?"
"I don't think so." He shrugged.
"Shouldn't you do something? Mr. Potter is important. They all are."
"No," he said. "Just no. I made a promise long ago that if Voldemort was ever truly defeated I would stop interfering in Harry's life. I won't go back on that."
"Fine, but if I see anything concerning I'll be putting an end to it.
"And have you?"
"Hermione, Lafiel, and Harry seem to be dancing around something."
The headmaster snorted. "That is hardly a concern. They are responsible enough I'd think."
"They are too young."
"True, and I'm not asking you not to stop such things, just that they are more trustworthy than most."
"That much is true."
Lafiel sat in a bed the room of requirement had created for her. She had chosen not to sleep in any of the Hogwart's house rooms tonight, as they tended to be needlessly noisy. Ravenclaw was the closest to respecting silence, and they were not that close until everyone was asleep.
They had a ship that had the potential to go into space. The Nautilus had that ability before they replaced the engine. Their engine was fine power wise, so it would work. The Nautilus did not have the ability to enter planar space. Unfortunately, their magical engine really wasn't good enough. It required most of them to act as batteries, and while there was nothing dishonorable about that, it nevertheless wasted the potential of people that could be doing something more useful than be a glorified power supply.
She pulled out her tablet, pressed a button and said, "Ship determine the closest safe location of an anti-matter fuel plant. Consider other resources such as material necessary for ship building. Also look for some place with a usable Sord nearby. Use whatever muggle sources you can tap into along with your own records."
"Decryption authorization is required to complete search parameters"
"Authorization given. Keep the decryption to a minimum."
"Confirmed. Closest location is a two month journey in available craft, assuming two hours of acceleration once a day for a week, plus the opposite at destination."
"Ship, assume supplies can be brought in magically expanded containers. Determine a construction plan to modify the Nautilus to also support anti-matter based drive systems. Find out what we need to get and what has to be manufactured here taking care to obey all parts of Imperial law in planning. Also determine if its possible to build some kind of starbase at the same time. Completion is not required, but at least tell me what is possible. Make sure construction of planar space engines is part of the plan."
"Confirmed. This will take approximately forty hours to finish planning. Initial analysis of available resources suggest that steel shipping containers may serve as basic building block to create a space station combined with transfiguration and other magical skills. Runic panels could be added to them to keep them shrunk and lightweight until needed."
"Make sure to make a model of the design so I can review it."
"Confirmed."
"Have you determined how best to protect from radiation yet?"
The ship replied, "Converting some of the storage containers to contain water is one possibility. Some form of runic shielding is also suggested by theoretical extrapolation from current results."
"I'll get on that," she said.
"Confirmed."
"Add handheld and ship mounted weapons to our list of design goals, though they can be a lower priority."
"Confirmed."
"Have you figured out anything out about charting a course back to where and when we were, assuming we finally do reach the point of the initial journey?"
"Best available evidence suggests that the answer lies within understanding of magic. Questions like how does magical travel work or the even more ellusive magical time travel work should be considered."
"Destination, Determination, and Deliberation are the three D's of understanding the magical skill of apparition. While I do not know the skill, I clearly posses all three, but it is impossible to apparate so far."
"Planar space travel is possible once the engines are available. I estimate a two month journey to Lakfakalle's future location."
"You have determined a course? Why didn't you tell me?"
"I have determined only the spatial course. The method to jump forward in time is still undetermined."
"Then why mention that magical travel knowledge is required?"
"Magical solutions were suggested due to the still unsolved problem of temporal displacement."
"Next time be more clear," she huffed.
"Improvements in functionality of this system are unlikely without further research and development."
Lafiel glared at the little tablet, before turning it off and locking the screen.
They had a plan, it just missed the gigantic big detail about how to jump in time forward over a thousand years. She would have to try to pinpoint the exact duration as well, though perhaps they could risk a large jump, then use that to establish an Imperial time reference for the remaining jump in time?
She sighed. It was time to raid the restricted section again. Harry's wonderful cloak was really invaluable there. She very much doubted the answer would be in a school library though, no matter how restricted. Garnok's group may, however, have access to it.
The higher priority was still probably the engine. It might be possible to manage a two month planar space journey without anti matter engines. Fortunately, at this end of time she had time. There seemed no good reason to take the risk of relying purely on the magical drive for such a long journey.
She got the tablet back out and asked, "Ship, connect me to the Nautilus. Ask if Nadia or Captain Nemo are still awake."
A couple minutes later Captain Nemo's face appeared on her screen. "Lafiel, is there a problem?"
"Nothing urgent. I have a request and something to consider."
"Go ahead."
"First, if you do come with me to my time, you may wish to consider becoming Imperial citizens, however if the Blue Water is considered a true AI, that would be a problem."
Nemo said, "We limited them to prevent this. Without knowing your exact definition I do not know if we meet it or not."
"Then perhaps my second request will work. I request that you ask Nadia if she will permit cooperation between my ship's computer and her blue water. You will be able to make queries on non restricted subjects from my system. I, unfortunately, cannot release certain technologies such as anti matter engine designs under Imperial law unless you are considered part of the Abh military, which requires an oath that only the Empress can release you from. Don't misunderstand, I've no intention of ordering you anywhere. I'm only a cadet. It's just that my relationship with the Empress and circumstances give me some wiggle room."
Nemo said dryly, "Would not your government disapprove of such an obvious scheme to circumvent the law?"
"The queen will of course see through it, but if there is no actual violation of Imperial law, she will probably overlook it. If there is, I will be the one punished, not you."
"Punished? How?"
"Likely several years imprisonment, if it is seen that I worked to circumvent the law against true artificial intelligence, or if my actions in this time, when reviewed, are determined to have been violations. Giving out anti matter designs without that oath I mentioned could, however, result in my execution. It is likely the Empress would not choose to execute me, but that is a possible fate.
Nemo sighed. "I do not believe there is a true concern about the Blue Water. It is dangerous yes, but the limitations we engineered were meant to ever prevent them from having the capacity of true original thought. As far the rest, if you are on my ship, I will expect you to either be passenger or crew. Crew is preferred. I would also prefer to replace this magical engine with something that does not tie up potential crew. We are working on creating a new fusion engine, but without the resources of Atlantis it is difficult."
Lafiel said, "I would be honored to serve under your command temporarily, or if you become a member of the Empire for longer. As for your trouble with the Fusion engine. If Nadia approves the link, you can add your requests to the ones my ship's computer is processing. If you can prove to my ship's computer your understanding of this area, then I can unlock all similar knowledge and we can make plans together. Fusion designs are not a large concern, as long as they are given to an ally with a sufficient knowledge base. The rest requires the oath, but again, not to me.
Nemo replied, "We are familiar with what you call Sords, and are also familiar with Planar Space travel. It is how we arrived on this world, even if our engines must have been truly crude compared to what you are used to."
"It doesn't matter," Lafiel said. "Just knowing basically how to do it would not allow me to release the information. I can't even help you with your designs in that area. Everyone other than me could, but I cannot. Anyone who swears an oath to the Empire cannot help anyone who has not obtain classified information. The rules on information classified at that level are very strict. For now I recommend skipping the subjects of anti matter and planar space travel and proceed with the rest."
"Then we have a plan. We will let you know how it turns out, but I have little doubt Nadia will agree with this much in the morning."
"Thanks, and I hope you did not wake because of me."
"I sleep less than I wish to sometimes. It is nothing to do with you. I've been reading your book. It helps somewhat."
"You will let us know if we may be of any help?" Lafiel asked.
"Of course." Then he added, "Would not swearing an oath be frowned on by your Empress?"
"She would no doubt prefer it if you did, but you would be treated well in any event. If your asking for my preference, then I would prefer if everyone did. I love being an Abh, and would hope others would as well. My preference is for us to walk down the halls of Lakfakalle together as equals to meet the Empress. The choice, however is yours. My friendship and aid is not conditional on it."
"I understand. Now I think I'm going to take something to get some sleep. I will keep you informed."
"My thanks."
The screen went blank.
"Ship, record a message for my family. Deliver it when you can."
"Ready to record."
"I miss you all and am working hard to return to you. The problem of returning to where Lakfakalle will be is solved, at least conceptually. Much remains to be built before we can do it in practice, and the problem of returning to the time I left is still unsolved, yet I have some avenues yet to explore. Should I fail to make it back, I pray that those who choose to make the attempt with me will be well. I ask that you please treat them kindly, because of the help and aid they have given me. Among them may be..."
She went on to list everyone who had helped her, most of which she did not expect to come, but an Abriel always pays their debt, even if that debt is passed by necessity to other members of the family. She hoped that would not be the case, but there was more than a little risk in what she planned. She felt quite guilty for hoping so many would continue to follow her when she made the final trip.
She got up and slipped out of the room of requirement, just using her basic skills at stealth to stay unnoticed as she journeyed to the Gryffindor common room. She was totally caught by surprise when the stunning spell hit her.