Ch 41 The Crystal Ball Arrives
Early that morning Albus and Cleopatra watched as two of the Aurors took Polyjuice Potion and transformed into passable duplicates of them. The duplicates took the ordinary Crystal Ball with them, along with many Aurors, as they Apparated to a nearby island and then took a well-guarded Floo network to Miami.
Al and Cleo put Jezebel's Crystal Ball into a previously prepared box. The box was lined with the special magical shielding material, but on the outside the box looked like an industrial tool box. Cleo tried to shrink the box, but it wouldn't shrink. It was too big to put in even her oversized pockets, so she carried it.
First a couple of Auror guards, then Ben and Karen Nguyen, then a new pair of Elves, and finally Albus and Cleo took a secretly prepared Closet network, eventually transiting through a couple of Closets on oil platforms in the Gulf of Mexico, before ending up in Houston, at a company specializing in drilling. They entered three large trucks with crew cabs, sitting in the back, as the trucks drove to the International Airport in Houston. The three trucks just fit into a large cargo airplane. Just before the cargo doors were closed four disillusioned motorcycles flew into the cargo compartment, became visible, and eight Aurors dismounted.
The airplane took off for Europe. Eventually it landed in Milan, and the trucks were unloaded. The motorcycles again made themselves invisible before exiting the airport.
Karen Nguyen checked with Harry, using a satellite phone. The DPW airplane had just taken off from Miami. It had been met by a large contingent of enemy. A battle had ensued, with wounded but no fatalities on the side of the DMLE guards. Everything was going according to plan.
Driving from Milan to the secret valley took hours, especially since no magic was used, and the trucks, although they had plenty of power, were not the fastest vehicles. Just before the DPW airplane landed in Bern the three large trucks pulled up to the hidden entrance of the valley, and Ben dismounted and spoke to the guards. The convoy was let in.
Over the centuries of its existence four tunnels had been created to allow goods and people to come into and leave the valley. All of the tunnels were guarded. The entrance these trucks used was the largest, but also the least used. It was mostly used at certain times of the year for freight. So the three trucks made their way into the valley and onto the roads surrounding the valley, eventually coming to rest in front of the palace. Galadriel and Thorin came out of the castle and said something to the driver in the lead truck, and then quietly Al and Cleo got out of the middle truck and, Cleo carrying the Crystal Ball, entered a small building, basically just a couple of small rooms, right outside the main door to the castle. It was normally used as a place for guards to stay, or occasionally Magi working in the square to use without going into the castle itself. Their escorts also went into the small building in the work clothes. Everyone eventually changed out of the work clothes.
The same number of people, dressed in similar work clothes, left the building and climbed back into the trucks. The trucks left for another location where they did drill a well that tapped into an underground source of water.
Everyone waited. Shortly after the trucks left they received word that the DPW airplane had landed, but Harry and Albus had agreed that Albus and his contingent would stay hidden until Harry was safely in the Swiss valley. They did not want to advertise that Cleo and the rest did not go to Switzerland with the others. They figured it would take two to three hours for the caravan of vehicles to arrive at the palace.
Two hours into their wait the group received word of the attack. The caravan had been delayed in leaving the airport and on the road, and things were not going as planned.
It took six hours for the caravan to arrive, motorcycles leading the way, two SUV's, a lorry with a smashed SUV on it, then another SUV, then more motorcycle escorts. They parked in front of the castle, and a tent was magically erected, roof and three sides, the other side being the front of the castle.
Harry exited the first SUV and waited for Albus and the rest. The group with Albus walked over to Harry, and Albus asked, "What happened?"
"We were attacked," Harry replied. "It was a bigger attack than I had anticipated, although I did have enough Aurors and others on hand to repel the attack.
"We lost five Magi and seven Goblin Elves. A large boulder was thrown at the SUV that was a decoy, with the common Crystal Ball and Ricky and Mary Lou who were disguised as you two, Al, Cleo. I'm sorry to tell you Ricky and Mary Lou died.
"The attackers suffered a large number of casualties. We also captured some of them. We were not exactly outnumbered. We had many more of our beings at the battle within fifteen minutes."
"Ricky and Mary Lou Nelson are dead?" Cleo confirmed.
"Yes," Harry replied. "I know this is part of my job, but I hate it when we lose people!" It was obvious from Harry's bearing that this whole attack and its aftermath was hard on him.
Albus tried to think of how to comfort his father, but didn't have a clue. He felt horrible as well, thinking that other people died while he and Cleo lived.
Cleo thought back to meeting them, and to them taking the Polyjuice Potion and turning into copies of her and Albus.
She first saw then when they arrived at the island. She and Albus had walked down to the beach. The couple were coming out of the ocean, looking very happy and very much in love. Ricky was of average height and build, although in very good shape because of Auror training, with light brown hair bleached blond by the sun. Mary Lou was of average height, but she was a tiny person.
"I'm Ricky," Ricky said in introduction.
"I'm Mary Lou," Mary Lou said.
"We are the Nelsons," they said together, giggling like it was some private joke.
Later, Mary Lou and Cleo were in the bedroom on top of the island so Mary Lou could change into a duplicate of Cleo. Mary Lou took off her clothes and took the Polyjuice Potion. Once the transformation was finished she began to dress. Mary Lou put on one of Cleo's bras. She tried to get comfortable, but the straps bit into her shoulders, and she could feel the weight of her breasts on her back.
"You need levitation spells," Cleo told Mary Lou. Cleo taught Mary Lou the spells she needed to use to become more comfortable.
"I've wondered what it would be like to be bigger on top," Mary Lou muttered. "I think I will be quite satisfied going back to being my size."
It took Mary Lou some time becoming comfortable in Cleo's skin, Cleo being over twice as heavy.
Cleo reflected on how happy and, yes, beautiful, this couple was. And now they were dead. Life was fragile.
Eventually the SUVs were all removed, and groups of people were arranged to meet Cleo as she presented the Crystal Ball that had belonged to Jezebel, and was now hers. Well, maybe it was not exactly hers. Who owned what in the Swiss valley was more complicated.
There were lights and cameras on the meeting, both normal magical photographs and the newer television cameras, and a fair number of reporters covering the meeting. It was being broadcast on the Wizards Wireless Network to receivers around the world of the Magi.
Cleo was dressed in one of her most colorful outfits, looking like a fairy tale princess. She held the Crystal Ball in her hands. Albus was dressed in a more formal suit than a normal business suit, with small pins on the lapels to reflect his Order of Merlin, Wizard of Wizard, and other awards.
Jesus and Ginny Rios had come out of the castle, and were accompanying them. Ginny wore a formal dress that looked Chinese in design. Jesus wore a suit that with the coloring and decoration reflected his Native American and Hispanic heritage.
They first went up to a group that was headed by Galadriel. Galadriel and Luthien were dressed as Elves, something about their dresses, the slippers, the leggings, that looked very Elfish. They were both beautiful, with faces that could never be mistaken for Magi, with the shape of the ears, of the eyes, just everything in the face Elfish, but they were maybe the prettiest beings you could ever see.
They were accompanied by a small contingent of Elves of various types.
Thorin Oakenwand and Beren were dressed like warrior Dwarves or Goblins, leading a contingent of warriors, with swords or, in a couple of cases, battle axes, making them look very formidable.
Cleo presented the Crystal Ball to Galadriel, who took it and looked at it. She passed it on to a couple of female Elves, who each examined it before giving it back to Galadriel.
"It is one of the three original Crystal Balls," Galadriel confirmed.
"Do the Elves use these Crystal Balls too?" Cleo asked.
"We did, and we are beginning to again," Galadriel replied as she passed the Crystal Ball back to Cleo. "We will talk about that later."
Cleo then took the Crystal Ball to the Magi Prophetesses, headed by Nausicaa with her husband Apollo by her side. There were more prophetesses and a few prophets, including Mary Muna from North America and her shaman husband bishop Jacob Qaletaga.
Nausicaa examined the Crystal Ball, and passed it to the other prophetesses and prophets. They conferred. She then gave it back to Cleo, saying, "It is very similar to the other Crystal Ball here, the one we have been told is one of the first three Crystal Balls. You need to march into the castle with the Crystal Ball, and then take it to the Prophecy Department."
Gerhardt Richter and a group of managers were watching. Cleo and Albus went over to them and explained what they were going to do. Then Cleo and Albus and their guards, Ginny and Jesus, and about half the prophets processed into the castle. Harry kept everyone else, including the reporters, out.
"We are not revealing where the Crystal Balls are kept, nor how to get there," Harry explained.
Someone shouted, "Water is running in the fountain!"
The gathered crowd looked at the seven-tiered fountain in the plaza. Water was flowing from the bottom tier, for the first time in centuries. It had been prophesied that water would flow from the fountain when the king and queen returned, and by the fulfillment of this part of the prophecy it was apparent that Cleo and Albus were Crown Princess and Crown Prince.
Looking back at the castle, is seemed to glow with an inner light. Something had changed.
Nausicaa and Cleo examined both Crystal Balls before placing them in locked compartments in adjoining rooms.
"It looks like I have another job to do, trying to understand these Crystal Balls," Cleo remarked as she felt her growing belly. "I just wanted to be a mother, but it doesn't look like that is going to happen."
"No," Nausicaa confirmed. "You will have much help, but much is going to be demanded of you."
"It has been a long and difficult day," Albus added. "We still need to settle into our new quarters."
Albus and Cleo, accompanied by their almost always present Elf and Magi guards, left for the palace.
Harry called Albus on his mobile, and told him, "A large crowd has gathered, and you need to come out of the palace and say something."
"We are coming," Albus replied. "They don't want a formal ceremony, do they? I have no idea what to do."
"I think they just want to acknowledge you, and have you say something," Harry suggested. "I'm going to conjure a platform so you can speak to the crowd."
Albus and Cleo climbed up onto the platform that Harry and several others had hastily conjured. There were lights shining onto the platform, and television cameras pointed at them. Somehow there were also two gigantic television screens displaying what the cameras were focusing on.
Once the crowd saw Albus and Cleo they erupted in a great roar. Albus waited a few minutes, and then gestured the crowd to be quiet, with only partial success. Finally, mother Cleopatra put her hands on her hips and yelled, "QUIET!"
The crowd suddenly became very quiet.
"This has been a very eventful, and in some ways tragic, day," Albus started with. "The second of the three original Crystal Balls is safely in Switzerland. Also here in Switzerland is the Resurrection Stone, and the two original wands of the Magi. The prophesies are partially fulfilled, and it appears that Cleopatra and I are Crown Princess and Crown Prince of the Magi. Those obligations we may need to accept in a formal ceremony, and we will, but not tonight.
"Magi died bringing the Crystal Ball here. Let us mourn our dead. Is Bishop Scherica here to say something?"
Bishop Scherica appeared, and led a non-denominational prayer for any Magi killed or injured in bringing Albus, Cleo and the Crystal Ball to Switzerland.
John and Mary Rivendell, the head Elves of the palace and, now, of Albus and Cleo, met them and led them to what were now their quarters in the palace.
"This is the small sitting room outside your bedroom," John announced as they passed through a comfortably room that was hardly tiny, although it was not huge either. He showed them a large comfortably furnished bedroom.
"This is your bathroom," John indicated. "We included a two-person shower and a two-person tub, as well as dual sinks.
"According to tradition, in the morning you each go to your dressing room, where you are helped to dress. You are expected to allow one of the Elves to help you dress and take care of clothes. Cleopatra, there is an area in your dressing room for putting on makeup and having your hair done.
"You have a breakfast meeting at eight tomorrow morning."
Albus and Cleo looked at each other, and silently agreed that this tradition was not worth fighting against at this time.
Albus and Cleo briefly looked around the bedroom suite before undressing, putting their clothes in the designated area to be picked up and cleaned, and going to bed.
Albus sighed. "I guess this is the first day of the rest of our lives."
Cleo snuggled into Albus. They christened the bed with their love, and touching skin to skin, fell asleep.
Harry walked into their quarters at the palace. No longer the Regents, he and Ginny had been given a nice modest sized apartment in the palace, which Harry thought was much better than the oversized and pretentious suite of the Regents.
Ginny was waiting for Harry, and she could see that this had not been a good day. She had been watching and listening to the news, and she knew that there had been casualties, and that Harry took any loss personally and hard.
"Hard day?" Ginny started, knowing that Harry would respond by agreeing.
"Very!" Harry almost shouted. "I know in my job, I know, I know …," Harry took a deep breath, trying to control his emotions. He knew that sometimes beings in his profession were killed, but it was always horrible when it happened. Knowing it was no satisfaction.
Ginny arose and went over to Harry, and hugged him hard. She was so very grateful that Harry was seldom personally at risk, but she knew how hard it was on him when anyone was killed or injured in the line of duty.
"Some people would say it was a great victory," Harry muttered, his tone of voice alone indicating that he was not celebrating a victory. "We killed probably three times as many as we lost, and we captured a few of them and they didn't capture any of ours. I just wonder if we could have done it all in secrecy, and not risk any lives. I just don't know. I just don't know."
Ginny held Harry, and just tried her best to comfort him.
2022