Chapter Eleven

Flama Tempastas

"Flamas Tempastas."

Hermione winced as the hot, red-yellow-orange flames rushed forward and engulfed the hallway.

***

Ginny landed in the middle of the hub bub that was Sickbay at the moment. She quickly got up from the ground.

"Ginny, what happened?" Alyssa Ogawa was standing besides her.

"At least five times hit by Cardassians compressors. Sorry to drop in so sudden." She quickly scrambled to her feet.

"Get him on the bio bed over there. Dr. Selar!" Alyssa called.

The petite Vulcan doctor hurried over, while Ginny levitated Sirius. Selar grabbed a tricorder and also Ginny and Alyssa moved over to assist her.

"What happened, Miss Weasley?"

"He was hit at least five times by Cardassian compressors. I tied my life force to his…"

***

"Sir, I am detecting a strong surge of magical energy on Deck 6. I am also detecting a sudden rise in temperature." Data reported.

Deanna hit her com-badge. "Troi to Hermione Granger."

"Hermione here."

"What's going on? We are detecting a powerful surge of magic. It's accompanied with a abnormal high temperature."

"Uh… Uh… Sirius got hurt badly. Ginny has taken him to Sickbay... Uh… But Harry got a little mad. And he is… expressing it."

"You call this a little?"

"Don't worry. It will be over in a few moments. Nor we or the ship will be hurt. Just a few Cardassians. Hermione out."

***

"Call them back." The high voice said.

Two masked figures before him bowed and apparated away.

"The scare should have enough for know."

***

"I am reading multiple magical signs. Several life signs are disappearing." Data reported.

"Captain, the ships engines are powering up. They are retreating." Tarzar reported.

"Are there any Death Eaters left?"

"Unreadable."

Captain Picard hit his com-badge. "Picard to Granger."

"Yes, Captain?" Hermiones voice sounded.

"The Cardassians are retreating. Are there any Death Eaters left?"

It was silent for a moment. Picard supposed they were performing their scan.

"Except the three we have captured here, no more Death Eaters left." Ron reported.

"Ron, has Harry calmed down?" Counselor Troi asked.

"Yes. Hermione is taking care of him now. Lieutenant Tarzar?"

"Yes, Mr. Weasley?"

"Could I meet you at the brig with the Death Eaters? There are some additional security measures that should be taken with them."

"Go, Mr. Tarzar. Report back in fifteen minutes." Picard ordered.

The man nodded and quickly left the room. Picard closed the connection.

***

"Is he okay, Mione?"

"I think he's just knocked out. Exhausted." Hermione was kneeling besides an unconscious Harry.

The hallway around him was bit scarred, but no major damage. Hermione, Ron and the Death Eaters were also unscathed, but the group Cardassians at the end of the hallway hadn't weathered the fire storm so well.

Ron walked over to them. They were burned very badly, but still alive. He pulled out his wand and stunned them. Then he placed a stasis spell on them that kept their condition from getting any better or worse.

"Ron, I will see you in a few moments. I will warn some people in Sickbay about the Cardassians." Hermione summoned the same whirlpool Ginny had and both Harry and Hermione disappeared a few moments later.

Ron quickly levitated the two stunned Death Eaters and the golden statue and made way to the brig.

***

Hermione landed in Sickbay. Everyone was still running around.

"Mione?" She heard Ginny's voice.

"Over here, Gin." The red-headed girl kneeled down besides them, tricorder in her hand.

"What happened?" She asked.

"He got a little mad. Used the 'Flama Tempastas'. Knocked him out a bit. How is Sirius? And what are you doing here?"

"It was tricky for a few moments. I kept him stable with the Vivante spell. It will be a day or two before he can leave Sickbay, but he will be fine. Dr. Selar asked if I wanted to help with triage and some of the light cases. Where is Ron?" Ginny asked, while scanning Harry.

"Installing additional security in the Death Eater brig. Is Harry okay?"

"He will fine. But I intend to keep him here until he wakes up." Ginny stood up from the floor and pulled out her wand. She levitated Harry towards a cot in the end of Sickbay.

She turned towards Hermione again and handed her the Death Eater wand she still had. "This is something you know what to do with."

"Thanks. I will leave you to your work. But who should I warn about a few badly burned Cardassians? They have a few spells on them."

"Doctor Selar. Over there." Ginny pointed in the right direction.

Ginny quickly went over to the next patient and after Hermione had spoken to Dr. Selar she went towards the brig.

***

"Finite Incatatem." Ron intoned. The golden statue changed back into a man and Ron directly stunned him.

Quickly he removed the two wands and handed them to Tarzar. Then he pulled the masks away. At one point a feral grin slowly spread on his face.

The door opened and Hermione ran in. "Harry is okay. And Sirius will be fine to… What are you smiling about?" He pointed at the Death Eaters and she looked at their faces. It took a few moments, but the same feral grin spread over her face.

"Well, well, well. Welcome on the Enterprise, Wormtail." Ron said.

"Who is this?" Tarzar asked.

"This is the man who busted my friends godfather. When we go back he will finally be free." Ron said.

Hermione quickly took the wands from Tarzar and marked them. "As soon as we have cleared this up, I will start on the reports for the Order."

Ron made a movement to levitate to Death Eaters, but Hermione held up her hand. "I want to put up a special kind of shield inside. It makes it impossible to use technology inside it, except special charmed object." Hermione stepped inside and started muttering a long, complicated spell. Then she charmed the machines in the cell and stepped out.

Ron levitated the Death Eaters in the brig and the lieutenant activated the force field. Ron turned towards him. "Is it okay if we put up a couple of other wards?"

The man nodded and this time Ron started muttering spells. When he was finished Hermione asked which spells he had put up.

"Anti-apparition wards, a shield against scanning and telepathic contacts and things like that. And they can't send spells out, but we can send spells in." Ron said.

"Should we wake them?" Hermione asked.

"I don't know what you think, lieutenant, but I think it's best to let them out for some time. In any case until we have everything cleared up." Ron said.

Tarzar agreed with Ron. He went back to the bridge, leaving a trusted Ensign behind to guard the sleeping Death Eaters.

When Ron and Hermione left the brig, Ron asked: "Is a shield like that also surrounding Hogwarts? Is that why technology can't be used inside Hogwarts?"

Hermione nodded. "Dumbledore found it a part of my special training. They have taught me to charm a smaller space. Also they taught me to charm the machines. I will show you, Harry and Ginny to charm machines when everything has calmed down."

Ron went to check the ship for any magical tricks that might have been left behind, while Hermione brought the wands to her quarters and then reporting to the bridge about there fights.

***

Sickbay finally started to clear up. The lightly wounded had been healed and send away, while the serious cases were resting on the biobeds.

Ginny was sitting besides Sirius, now and then glancing at Harry.

"You did good work, Ginny." A voice sounded behind her.

"Thank you, Doctor Crusher. I just did what I could. I am just glad that Sirius and Harry are okay."

"It was indeed quite close with Sirius. What was the spell you used?"

"It's a spell that ties my life force to his. Hermione started out from a very old spell. She worked most of the kinks out, but the disadvantage is that only women can cast it."

Both looked up when a medic came hurrying in. "Doctor, over sixty unconscious people. The readings are very weird. It was the area where five of those masked men disappeared." he reported.

Ginny jumped to her feet. "Would you mind if come with you? I think… it might be some kind of curse."

Beverly nodded and both redheads grabbed their med kits and followed the medic.

***

Hermione calmly took the shields down she had installed on the bridge. Then she gazed at the gathered senior crew, except Beverly.

"Are you okay, Hermione?" Deanna asked.

"I am fine. We have caught three Death Eaters. One of them is the man who busted Sirius." A small smile glided over her face. "When we are home, he will finally be free."

"Are Harry and Sirius okay?" Will Riker asked.

"From what Ginny told me they will be. Are there many injured?"

"We still don't have a final count, but it were mostly lightly wounded."

***

Ginny looked over the small mess hall. People in all kinds of ages were lying unconscious. Beverly kneeled down at the nearest one to take a scan. Ginny did the same with another.

The scan didn't give her anything to base the rising suspicion in her mind, but she couldn't quash it. She stood and pulled out her wand. "Relevatio."

All the unconscious people in the room lighted up in a strange purple-green color.

Ginny cancelled the spell, muttered a dirty word and hit her com-badge. "Ron, Mione, get your buts over here. We have over sixty cases here of people hit with Caleidi."

"What?!" Ron's voice sounded.

"Start counter cursing, Gin. We will be there in a few seconds. Mione out."

Ginny aimed her wand at the people and start muttering: "Removare Caleidi. Removare Caleidi. Removare Caleidi. Removare Caleidi." Each time she pointed at someone else.

A few seconds later Ron and Mione appeared in two whirlpools of light. Both pointed their wands and started muttering: "Removare Caleidi. Removare Caleidi."

***

Ginny, Ron and Hermione looked as the people were loaded on anti-grav stretchers. They had counter cursed everyone, but they didn't know how much time it took.

Beverly walked over to them. "Why you were so panicked, Ginny?"

"They were cursed with the Calideius curse. It's a very nasty curse. It's like a magical coma which doesn't end if the counter curse is not performed in time. How much time you have to perform the counter curse varies from person to person. But so far, nobody is known who has woken up after the curse was on him for more than an hour. Even half an hour is already a dangerous time. The younger or smaller the person is, the faster the counter curse has to be performed. The longer the person suffers from the curse, the more time it takes to recover. The spell was on them for about twenty minutes." Ginny explained.

Hermione saw Beverly's eyes widening. "We were on time. Ron, had you finished checking the ship?"

"No, I had hardly gotten started when received Ginny's hail."

"Do you need my help?" Hermione asked.

"No, just get started on the reports for the order. Ginny, do you need anything further?"

"No. I will help to deal with explaining the curse and a report. I will call you if Sirius or Harry wakes up." Ginny replied quickly.

Beverly in the meantime answered a hail about a group of seriously burned Cardassians. As she closed the call of, she turned to the three standing there. "Ginny, can you take over here? In sickbay dr. Selar will help. I have to deal with some Cardassians injuries."

Ginny looked slightly surprised, but then nodded. Ron, Hermione and Beverly ran of to do their jobs. Ginny looked after them, but then started to levitate some small children on stretchers, in the meantime keeping an eye on everything and sometimes giving an order.

***

Hermione was about to open the door to her quarters to start on the reports, when her com-badge chirped again. "Hermione here."

"It's Dr. Crusher. I am with the Cardassians here. There are several with all kinds of spells on them. Would you mind coming here and cancel them? I know you want to get your reports started, but Ginny is still busy in Sickbay and from what I understood I think the ship must be checked."

"No problem. If you don't mind I am gonna do some tests I need for in the reports."

"That's okay. We are in Cargo bay 3."

"I am on my way."

***

"Where are the ships now?" Picard asked.

"They are on course to the closest M-class planet. It's still several light years away." Data reported.

"Damage report."

"Forward and aft shields are severely damaged. The maximum warp we can manage right now is warp three." Data reported.

"Get repair teams on it right now." Picard hit him com badge. "Picard to Tarzar."

"Yes Captain?"

"What is your status?"

"Three Death Eaters are apprehended and in the brig. We have over fifty Cardassians in Cargo Bay three."

"Thanks, Lieutenant."

***

Hermione was let in by two men with phaser riffles. In the back there was a force field were several Cardassians were walking around, glaring at the security people before the force field. Before the force fields were several cots where unconscious Cardassians laid. Medical and security personnel were bustling among them.

"Sorry Hermione. This already the second time someone is keeping you from doing your job."

"That doesn't matter. In any case I needed to check to them for Imperius." Hermione pulled out her wand and cast: "Relevatio."

Around several Cardassians on the cots colors lighted up. Around several of them were red glows. With a few others it was mixed with some orange.

"Well, they aren't under Imperius. The ones with the red glow are stunned. The ones with the orange mixed in have a stasis spell them. Those are the Cardassians Harry hit. This spell keeps their condition from changing." Hermione explained.

"Can you undo all the spells?" Beverly asked.

Hermione nodded and went to work.

***

Harry woke up. To his surprise his head wasn't pounding. Still, his eyes lids felt incredibly heavy. He set himself to the task of opening them.

When he had opened them, he immediately recognized his surroundings as Sickbay. However, he wasn't lying on a biobed, but on a cot.

Slowly he pushed himself up and looked around, seeing where Sirius was lying. He spotted him on the biobed a little end away.

"Ah, you're awake. How are you feeling?" a voice said.

Harry looked in the direction of the voice to see Alyssa Ogawa standing there.

"I am fine. How long have I been out? How is Sirius doing? And where is everyone?" he asked.

"You have been out for about eight hours. It's now seven o'clock. Your godfather is fine. Ginny got him here on time. Dr. Crusher wants to keep him here for one or two days. Your friends are in a meeting…"

Harry started to get up.

"Where you're not going for now… (Here Harry sent a glare) You can sit with your godfather if you want, but you can't leave sickbay yet." Alyssa finished her sentence.

Harry got out of bed and walked over to the bed his godfather was laying. Alyssa walked over to him with a chair in one hand and a tricorder in her other. Harry sat down and took Sirius' hand, hardly noticing Alyssa scanning him.

His godfather was very pale, but his breathing was deep and regular. Harry gripped his hand tighter and settled in for a long wait.

***

The meeting had already been going on for some time and they had discussed most of the attack. Beverly gave the medical reports, Geordi and Data several status reports, Deanna the civilian reports and several others.

Finally Picard turned to the teens. "What do you think what Voldemort's is purpose with this attack?"

"The only reason I can think of is to shake us up." Ron said. "He could have put in much more effort. The Death Eathers didn't use Avada Kedavra or any other Unforgivable Curse, except when they were dueling us. And they didn't even try to go to the bridge. He just let the Cardassians run lose. If he wanted something specific, he would have put them under Imperius. And even with the Caleidi…"

"Cardassians are very resistant to mental attacks. Could they have shaken the curse of?" Deanna asked.

"I don't think so. Hermione would have found traces on them if they had been put under it. Even if they had shaken it of or if the curse had been removed."

Finally Picard, after the attack had discussed, steered the conversation to the reaction of Starfleet. "A ship is being sent to pick up the Cardassians. They also agreed to keep the Death Eaters here. But there was also some other news. They think they have found a way to get you home. It's gonna take a least six weeks before they can try it out, but there is hope."

The slightly gloomy faces of Ginny, Hermione and Ron brightened a bit. Their faces brightened even more when Alyssa radioed that Harry had wakened.

***

Outside the meeting room Hermione spoke to Deanna for a few moments after the meeting. "Counselor, would you mind helping me tomorrow if I am gonna question the Death Eaters?"

"Of course, Mione. Good luck with your reports for now." Deanna went in the direction of her office.

Hermione continued towards her quarters when she heard a voice call her. "Damien. Are you okay?"

"I am fine. I had something else to ask. Would you like to go to dinner with me in a few days?" Damien asked.

"Great timing, Damien. But yes, I would like that."

The man smiled and both continued on their way.

***

Ginny and Beverly arrived in Sickbay after a detour to the Cardassian prisoner bay because they had to check upon some prisoners.

"Some of the people put under Caleidi should start to wake up any moment." Ginny said.

Beverly nodded. "Do you have much experience with Caleidi?"

"Some. The summer train home was attacked last year. There were no teachers aboard. Harry took charge and we managed to fend the Death Eaters of with help of the most elder students. But several of the younger students were hit by Caleidi. Me and the sixth and seventh year students who follow Healing Magic took care of them. Later Madam Pomfrey arrived with the rest of the Order and I remained to help, while the other students went home."

They had arrived by Sickbay. Inside everything was quite calm. All the patients were sleeping and the only ones awake were a couple nurses.

But these nurses were standing cluttered between the biobeds. Ginny and Beverly made their way over and Ginny had to hold her laugh.

Dr. Selar was lying on the ground. Harry was sleeping peacefully with his head on the edge of his godfather's biobed. And all the nurses were standing there with somewhat astonished looks on their face.

"What happened?" Beverly asked.

Alyssa stepped forward and answered. "Harry had fallen asleep and Dr. Selar woke him to tell him that he should return his bed. He refused and it became a bit of a discussion. Harry pulled out his wand; said something and Dr. Selar fell to the ground. Harry just went back to sleep."

Ginny laughed. "He probably just stunned her." Ginny pulled out her wand and woke Dr. Selar. Then she levitated Harry back to his cot, changed his clothes into some night clothes with the help of a spell and pulled the blankets over him. His wand she put with his other weapons.

Beverly in the meantime had filled a hypospray and pressed it to Harry's neck. "To make sure he will sleep trough the night." She clarified at Ginny's questioning look.

Ginny nodded. Then she turned to Dr. Selar. "Do you mind if I give you some advice?" At the headshake she continued: "If you want to separate Harry and Sirius when one of them is hurt, just sedate the healthy one. Learned that from my own experience." Then she looked at Dr. Crusher. "Shall we get started on those reports?"

Beverly smiled and both redheads walked over to office.

***

It was around two o'clock when Beverly and Ginny emerged from the office.

Ginny let out a huge yawn. "Finally those reports are ready."

Beverly smiled at her reaction. "I must agree with you. Come, I will walk with you to your quarters."

"Okay. Just a moment." Ginny gathered her weapons and medical kit, walked over to peek Harry on his forehead and stroked some hair out of Sirius' eyes. Beverly also gathered her kit.

Both walked together, chatting about a few little things.

Suddenly Ginny hit her head. "Stupid."

"What?"

"I had meant after the meeting to get Hermione and Ron with me. To have them checked out. They said they weren't hurt, but they only come if they at least have broken something. Especially Ron." Ginny explained. Then she sighed. "And to convince them now..."

Beverly smiled. "Well, I think I can help a bit with that. Have you already been checked out?"

Ginny shook her head. "I haven't been hit anywhere."

"Okay, here is the deal. I will make sure you two friends get checked out, but after that I also check you."

"It's a deal."

***

"Hermione, isn't it time to go to sleep? You have been working almost after we came back form that meeting." Ron exclaimed almost desperate.

"I am almost finished."

"Mione, you said that an hour ago." Ron looked up when the door opened.

Beverly and Ginny entered. Both women greeted them.

"Good to see you. Perhaps you can help to convince this stubborn one it's time to go to sleep." Ron said.

Hermione looked up. "I am almost finished." Then she turned towards Beverly and Ginny. "How are Harry and Sirius?"

"You know Harry has woken up. He sat with Sirius for a few moments and fell asleep again. When Dr. Selar woke him to tell him he should go to bed, he stunned her and went back to sleep." Ginny laughed, just like the other three.

"What did you do?" Hermione asked.

"I woke her and levitated him in bed. Beverly gave him something so he would sleep through the night. And I put his wand away." Ginny explained.

"You might want do the same with Sirius' wand. He hates hospitals or everything remotely related to that. If he wakes up tomorrow with his wand in reach, you can expect everybody stunned and Sirius somewhere not findable on the ship." Ron said.

"You might want to warn Rose, Ginny. But while you do that… Ron, I want you to lay down somewhere so I can check you out." Beverly said.

"What? But… I am fine." Ron sputtered. He turned towards Ginny and narrowed his eyes. "You are behind this, aren't you?"

"Ron, Ginny is behind nothing. She and Hermione are after you." Beverly said.

Hermione looked up from where she was putting her parchments away. "You can use the bedroom."

Beverly glared at Ron for a second then walked into the direction of the bedroom. Ron sighed and followed.

After they had disappeared, Hermione and Ginny burst out laughing. "You know, Gin, sometimes Dr. Crusher reminds me a bit of your mother. When did you start calling her Beverly?"

"Tonight, during work. I am gonna hail Rose." Hermione continued to put her papers away, while Ginny tapped her com-badge. "Ginny to Haley."

"Haley here."

"Rose, you might want to make sure that Mr. Black's wand is tucked away. My brother thinks otherwise you might end up like Dr. Selar this evening. And I must agree with him." Ginny told her.

"Thanks for the warning. I will make sure. Rose out."

Both girls laughed again and Ron came out of the bedroom. At the girls expectant looks, he said: "Nothing wrong. She only ordered me to go bed. Goodnight. O yeah, Mione, you're in."

While Ron went to his and Harry's quarters, Hermoine walked towards the bedroom. She was also pronounced healthy, just like Ginny a few minutes later. Both said goodnight to Beverly and went to bed.

A/N I must thank Fairytale for letting me use her Caleidius curse.