Authors Note. I must apologise that in places this chapter is a bit angsty, not a lot just a bit.
Harry Potter and the New Neighbours.Chapter 10. Sunday.
Hermione said excuse me but I must go up to my room a minute and she made her way up the stairs, so Harry went to the Hideaway.
He went straight to the picture of Babilon and said, "Elfin."
The elf mother came into the picture frame and said, "Hello Harry, Hermione has just arrived in your room here and I believe that she wants to talk about the same subject as you do. So you go up to her room and I will send her back there then you should both come here together and don't worry, I believe that you both think the same thing."
So Harry said that he would see her in a minute then he left the Hideaway and made his way up the back stairs to Hermione's room.
He tapped on the door and she said, "Come in Potter."
For a second he had been worried but she put her arms around him and kissed him, then taking hold of his pendant she simply said, "Library."
Elfin was waiting for them and she said, "Now tell me the problem?"
Hermione went straight to the hart of the problem, "Why do all of the elders appear to want Harry to have loads of children very quickly?"
He was nodding his head in agreement with the question and Elfin answered, "The Potter line is extremely important to the World as well as the Wizard World and currently the only one is you Harry. This is a very precarious situation, all it would take is one unforeseen accident and there will be no more Potters so you can see that this is a very worrying situation for all of us who see the big picture. Before you ask you have to live through it blind, we must not explain it to you because that might influence the decisions you make, however I will give you one piece of information that will point to the start of the problem. Those who made the Mayan calendar are those who believed and fled Atlantis, that is it and the conquistadors have a lot to answer for in the wonton slaughter they inflicted on the population of South America."
Looking thoughtful Hermione said, "If I remember correctly the Mayan calendar stops on the twenty-first of December 2013 that is only about seventeen and a half years time, the end of the world?" She looked horrified.
"Not the end of the world," Elfin said hurriedly, "the end of civilization as we know it, there is a lot of difference, you having made the connection I must now stop you worrying as much as I am allowed.
There is a mini planet, about the size of your moon, in a highly eccentric orbit, it takes a little less than three thousand years to complete one rotation around the sun and it is due to round the sun again in about another seventeen years. After that the Atlanteans calculated it would once more make a close pass by the Earth, that they believed will be another dreadful time of complete upheaval on the Earth and you have volunteered to help save civilization.
For your information Atlantis was destroyed about eleven thousand years ago, ergo all of the great flood legends.
As was hinted at before it will be for you to decide who is to be saved, always with the thought that true knowledge should be preserved wherever possible. Amoon has authorised me to take care of the elves, the half elves and the elf friends as you know the vast majority of these will be elves and they generally have no knowledge of Muggle science.
It will not be possible to save everyone."
The couple sat in silence for about five minutes then Hermione said, "So speed is of the essence how many little Potters do you think we need and how quickly?"
Elfin answered, "We would like at least fifteen or twenty within two or three years."
Harry snorted, "Where will you find a great long queue of prospective mothers and I will not start until it is established that Hermione is in a stable pregnancy, also we need to be married first?"
For the first time since they had known her Elfin giggled, "You underestimate yourself Harry, Hermione is an obvious first choice but so are Ginny, Daphne and Susan, also both of the Patil twins think the world of you. Yesterday you gave elfdom back to ten female house elves, discounting Mina you still have ten because I would willingly mother one of your children." Elfin was now blushing as well, "You are a most remarkable man Harry James Potter, in all of the millennia I have lived I have never previously offered myself to anyone."
The couple were dumfounded and it was several minutes before anyone spoke and once again it was Elfin who having recovered her composure said, "I should tell you that there is ulterior motive in the six girls we have selected, they would all be brought here, firstly to complete their magical education and afterwards to learn all of the Muggle science. There is just too much for the two of you to learn it all and if you use some of the life you have gained they can all be with you for many years to come.
I believe that you should bring Hermione's parents to your Hideaway for us to talk of your wedding. I also know that Amoon wishes me to make them elf friend's, which would only be if they wish it, because this would make them magical, so this step should be considered very carefully, it would change their lives completely. So you do not get your hopes up I will also tell you straight away that they will gain the wizard's one hundred and fifty year lifespan but as far as we know you will not be able to extend it any further
I will leave you here now to think over all of this and I hope to see you both in the Hideaway, soon."
After Elfin left the couple sat very closely together on the sofa, Hermione was resting her head on his shoulder and sadly she said, "I love you so much Harry. Why couldn't we live in normal times? Why do I have to share you?"
Very dejectedly Harry answered, "I wish that I knew what normal was. I just want you I don't want all of these other girls. But what about Elfin?"
At the thought of Elfin Hermione gave a little giggle, "She fancies you! And stop grinning you egotistical git, your mine and I want to run off with you and hide away until the end of time."
It started with the kissing, then it was on the bed, this was followed by them falling asleep, waking, taking a shower and then they returned to the world, very hungry, very very hungry.
"Race you to the kitchen!" Hermione said charging out of her bedroom.
Harry closed his eyes and willed himself to the kitchen, when Hermione was four stairs from the bottom she stopped and in amazement said, "How did you get here so quickly?"
In the blink of an eye he was stood beside her, then he kissed her, as he broke the kiss they were stood beside Suria and he was begging food totally ignoring her pleas to know how he did it.
With the sight and smell of another two, this time they were large, Cornish Pasties Hermione's pleading stopped until she had devoured half of her pasty and then she asked again so he explained what he had done.
Not surprisingly Hermione needed under a minute to learn to transport herself as Harry had done and she was extremely pleased with herself, so they went to find her parents and they soon found them alone in the reading room.
After the couple had taken them to the Hideaway, Harry and Hermione briefly explained the situation to her parents so then it was time to call Elfin and before she had finished Suria had called them for lunch. Strict instructions had been issued for them to return as soon as lunch was finished but neither Hermione nor Harry thought that they were necessary Matt and Jane were extremely eager to return.
Two hours later the discussions were almost concluded and they were talking about the wedding when Jane said, "What about Artificial Insemination?"
The look of relief on the faces of the youngsters was a joy to behold and for a few minutes Elfin was quiet and then she said, "We would have to find different mothers and elves do not use such methods. Ever. Also it would not produce the close bond that would be achieved by Harry making love with the six chosen girls and…"
Harry interrupted her, "I don't give a toss about producing a close bond with a bunch of girls, I am only interested in having a close bond with Hermione. However many children she wants is how many we will have and I will know if you tamper with her mind, I can tell you her reaction to any given set of circumstances." Then he turned his back on Elfin and said to his love, "I am going flying if I can find a broom, I will see you later and you can keep talking about your parents if you want to." He gave her a kiss and left the room.
It was quiet for five minutes and then Elfin said, "It is about fifteen thousand of your years since I was last put in my place like that, but that time I was right and she was wrong so she was punished. This time he is right and I am wrong, so I am terribly sorry, but please try to not let him turn his back on us completely."
Hermione had a sad smile, "His whole life just isn't fair, his parents murdered when he was a baby, those terrible relations who abused him for ten of the first eleven years of his life and he has faced Voldemort four times in the last five years. Now he has found love and you give him the tools to defeat Voldemort so he gets told that the big 'V' has a mentor, Mephisto Malfoy, we both assume that he won't be too much trouble for us or you would of said something."
Elfin nodded at this, so Hermione continued, "Where do we go next, oh yes, apparently the Earth's true nemesis is a rogue planet so in your spare time Harry, can you save the World from it and in case you get hurt can you screw these dozen females as a safety precaution.
My Harry had no love for fifteen years of his life, now he has mine and I will protect him with everything I am for as long as I can because he loves me as well. He told you that he knows me, he knows me better than I know myself, I told him that he should sleep with them and make them all pregnant. He knew that it was not what I wanted, he knew that I was just trying to sell him somebody else's idea of what was for the best.
For the best, for whom?
Certainly not Harry's and mine.
Don't worry too much he will try to save the world, he's Harry Potter he won't be able to help himself and I will make sure that you get your donation but finding the mothers is your problem, staying friends with our friends is ours."
She was quiet for a minute and a half then she continued quietly, "I am not really sorry about that outburst but sometimes I get on a rant and it all comes out. So what are you going to do about my parents?"
Elfin gave a wry smile, "Well it wouldn't endear us to Harry very much if we now don't give that which was offered, although it is our way that once offered it should be given. As they say they can't just turn up with green eyes too many people would start to ask questions which they would not want to answer, so as soon as they are ready you and Harry are to bring them to us. I formally give both you and Harry permission to tell them about what is here."
Elfin disappeared and the picture reverted to the island fortress.
Matt was looking around and said, "This is a nice room, very comfortable. Go and find that man of yours and comfort him, I think that he will need it. How about a quiet wedding as soon as possible? Think of minimum numbers."
Leaving the Hideaway her mum gave her a long hug wishing her luck, then Hermione went out of the backdoor looking for her Harry, she thought 'those possessive words again, I like those'. It didn't take her very long to find him, he was leaning against a tree by a small pond about two hundred yards from the back door and a broom was on the ground beside him.
She walked briskly over and sat down really close to him and he looked up and said to her, "I suppose that I am in trouble."
Her answer was to kiss him soundly then smiling she said, "Never with me and not with Elfin either she actually apologised and said that she was terribly sorry, then she pleaded with me to make sure that you didn't abandon them completely."
With a small smile he asked, "So what did you tell her?"
Now she was happier, "Well after I finished giving her a lecture about dumping all of their troubles on you, I told her that you wouldn't be able to stop yourself saving the world and you can stop grinning you egotistical git."
Now he had a big smile, "Gaia, the Earth Mother wants my babies and is pleading for me to save her world and you tell me not to be flattered, do you know that that is one of the reasons I love you so much?"
He licked her on the nose so she blew a raspberry on his lips that he returned on her neck, matters were quickly getting out of hand so she said, "Anyone looking out of the house can see us you know?"
"So!" was the only answer she received besides a passionate kiss.
"Well I was thinking," she managed when her lips were free.
"I'm stunned!" he said putting his hand to his brow and falling on his back in mock shock, "Hermione (the bookworm is in the library) Granger was thinking, now that is truly amazing, I must Owl the Daily Prophet immed…"
Harry was now being seriously tickled and when she stopped she said, "I was thinking," she was threatening to tickle him again if he interrupted her, "that maybe you should make Gaia pregnant, all of the usual reasons for my objecting don't seem to apply to her and she certainly isn't after stealing you away from me."
Pondering he said, "I'm not sure about her, you know, what is she?"
Hermione was looking puzzled, "What do you mean?"
"Well," he said, "she told us that she has been around since before humans, long before humans, I don't know but have elves been around that long?"
"As surprising as it may be I have been thinking about that as well," the tickle threat was preventing his retort, "and I have all but decided that she might well be more than three million years old, although what form she took originally goodness only knows."
"Yes," he mused, "I kind of get the impression that the elves have been around for a long time as well. Do you really think that I should and why does she need me to get her pregnant, anyway."
She gave Harry a sad smile, "You are so naive sometimes darling, she doesn't just want a baby she wants your baby. You are probably quite correct in thinking that she wouldn't need you to get pregnant, look at her, most guys would leap at the chance of giving her a baby. No, she appears to really like you and she thinks that your children are important enough for her to offer herself as the mother of one of them."
He was looking forlorn again, "So what you are saying is that she believes it is very important for all of these females to have my babies, but the elves won't do it artificially?"
Hermione cuddled him and said, "She can find human girls to have your babies artificially without too many problems and squibs would be an idea, she could offer to make them magical. So as far as I am concerned she is on her own with that part but we don't know anything about elven women, who can we ask that we trust?"
Looking up he said, "Well Mimi is coming, perhaps you should ask her? There is no way that I could ask her that wouldn't risk me getting my face slapped, or worse."
Mimi sat tentatively near to them and said, "We hear that you have had an argument with Gaia and I came to make sure that you are both alright."
Harry looked at her and asked quietly, "Did you come or were you sent?"
The elf giggled, "I thought that it would be Hermione asking me questions like that. You are my friends and if I had been sent I would have told you so. So are you both alright?"
This time Harry smiled and said, "We are both fine, but we were wondering about the elves, how long have they been on the earth?"
She looked very serious, "The original elves looked a lot like house elves with tidier ears, but like a lot of things we evolved to look as we are today and we believe that Gaia was one of the first and she dedicated herself to the welfare of the first elves and later, when they developed, humans. We think that she is about three and a quarter million years old and as far as we know she has never had any children, I believe that they would be greatly honoured if she did."
Hermione asked, "What is it with elves and children? Memo told us that you did not cohabit unless you wanted to make a baby, don't you like children?"
"Elves adore children but we live a very long time," Mimi answered, "and so we must be very careful about multiplying, anyway Memo is my brother so he would never be the father of my child, all of our children have to be sanctioned and it is an honour to be allowed to procreate. Children of elves and humans are generally not sanctioned therefore they are not accepted into our society, we call them half humans. However the children of elves and elf friends are fully accepted, they are generally held in great esteem by everyone and we never use the term half elf, that is a human expression."
Carefully Hermione asked, "Elfin sorry, Gaia has suggested that Harry father some elven children, they wouldn't be outcast then?"
Again Mimi giggled, "As I said they would be held in the highest esteem and probably become our leaders." Then she started speaking very quietly, "It is rumoured that the Earth Mother has asked Harry to give her a child, we have long suspected that she is tired of this existence and wishes to pass on to the next great adventure but she must have an heir before she can leave us." Her voice returned to its normal volume, "To the elves making babies is just that, we try to love everyone that is close to us and sex is only for baby making. It has been suggested that I might be honoured with one of your children Harry; well my attitude towards you and indeed the two of you would not change at all. Our children are raised by a whole loving community and we must be constantly careful not to, as you would say, spoil them rotten." All three of them laughed at the elf's use of this last, very human, expression.
Harry said, "I have heard the expression 'the next great adventure', used by the Headmaster, did he get it from the elves?"
"Your Headmaster," she answered, "learned it from Nicolas Flamel who had indeed learned it from the elves, his wife Perenelle was an elf friend and we held both of them in very high regard."
Hermione asked Harry, "Do you think that we should speak with Gaia again darling?"
Mimi became excited, "Do you think that I could meet her please?"
He nodded and held his amulet for a second then he said, "I have just asked her permission and she said that you may so you must hold one of my hands and one of Hermione's." The excited elf did as requested so he held Hermione's amulet and said, "Library."
The three had been sitting in a circle, this was still the case, however they were now on a circular divan in the heart of the library and they were all wearing sarongs, Mimi's was lilac also Gaia was sitting between Harry and Hermione.
Gaia said, "Relax my child, it is you who I judge that will be greatly honoured, without any prompting I believe that through your friendship and honesty you have succeeded where I was failing."
Mimi looked embarrassed and said, "I simply told the truth and explained as best I could. Earth Mother."
Elfin continued, "And you should be forever praised for having done so for all of our benefit. So Harry what is it that you have decided?"
"We have not actually discussed it," he answered, "but if Hermione approves then after we are married and she is pregnant, I will make you and your selected elven ladies pregnant as well, but I am worried about you." Elfin looked surprised but he continued, "You have a vast amount of knowledge and if we were to lose that soon after the probable upheaval of the Earth then we may get into serious difficulties."
Gaia gave him a big smile, "You really do try to think of everyone, don't you?" Harry was blushing but she continued, "It would not really be viable for me to move on for at least two hundred and fifty years, it will take that long to pass on all of my memories and knowledge to our heir.
Now to some slightly more practical aspects, when you both judge the time to be right I suggest that one of us comes to you once a week and that way it should cause minimal interference with your lives." The couple nodded their agreement and she continued, "I wish to be the first but I think that Mimi would like to be the first of the earthly elves."
Mimi was smiling and nodding her head but Hermione asked, "Why Mimi first? I would think that it would be easier for us if it was one of the elves that we didn't know quite so well?"
With a wry smile Harry said, "When we are prepared to allow Mimi into my bed then we are perfectly happy with the whole idea, having those we don't know first is just the easy way out, so the timing is ours."
"I remember," Elfin said, "Hermione telling me that people fail to look past her to see just how perceptive Harry is, well there it is and I couldn't have put it better myself. Now another thing is that elven women can choose the sex of their babies, when the situation is critical then a predetermined sex might be one of the conditions of being allowed to carry a child. At this time there is no particular imbalance between the sexes in our society so free choice will be given to all with the exception of our child, which will have to be female, after all it would be a bit strange if Gaia the Earth Mother was a male."
Harry asked, "If I have no particular preference, is it in order for me to leave that decision entirely to the mother?"
Immediately Mimi, with sparkling eyes, said, "In that case they would all choose to have boys."
"Which in its own way might well be a good thing," said Elfin, "there would be no problem with first cousins and second cousins would still be very east to keep track of. The other thing of course is that they would all want little Harry's, first come first to choose a name and with your permission I would like our daughter's human name to be Harmony."
Hermione and Harry were very happy with Elfin's choice of name.
Their conversation had ended and they all said goodbye to Elfin, immediately they were sat by the pond in the garden of the Potters Place.
The trio sat in contemplative silence for a minute and as they were getting up in a swirl of red and gold Fawkes, the Headmasters Phoenix, arrived with a letter for Harry.
Authors Note. I am not going to apologise for the last line, it would be falsehood, because I could easily have left it out and the angst wasn't too bad either was it? So if you enjoyed this chapter PLEASE REVIEW it.
Question. What do you think is in the letter Fawkes has brought?