Time wasn't large enough for the number it felt like it had taken them to finally reach this base. The base was secluded by a stone wall all around it, though around that was nothing but open field. The base itself was a huge, stone building with no definite shape, just twisting and turning and somehow coming together. Put in the middle of the base, there was a field the size of the lake at Hogwarts with all sorts of odd objects shining in the moonlight that Harry suspected were used for training.
"Welcome to Alexandria," Katie informed them.
"Alexandria?" Hermione asked. "But that's a city in--"
"No, no," Elyse said, smiling. "You misunderstand. Alexandria is the base's name. Alex for short. She's really cool, you'll have to meet her."
Thoroughly confused, they were led down into the large field in the middle of the base. Training tools of all kinds were around them, some Harry could vaguely recognize from various places, while he couldn't imagine what other tools were used for.
"Alex, we're home!" Heather called into the night. "And we brought guests! Tell Hayla we've brought three guests, and at least one will need a separate room."
"Welcome home. I shall tell Hayla immediately."
The voice came from everywhere and nowhere.
"Who was that?" Ron asked.
"Alex," Katie said. "Alex is the base itself. We've given her a mind and everything. She comes in so much handy. Ask her something."
"Um…" Ron thought for a moment. "What time is it?"
"You need to 'Alex' first, or somewhere in the sentence. Otherwise, she'll think you're talking to us," Elyse instructed.
"So she's like a computer?" Hermione asked.
"Kinda," Heather said, surprising Harry that she even knew what a computer was.
"Alex, what time is it?" Ron asked, stifling a yawn.
"Five o' two, Mr…?" Alex left her sentence unfinished.
"Weasley. Ron Weasley. And you can just call me Ron," Ron said.
"Five o' two, Ron," Alex said. "Who else do we have as guests?"
"Hermione Granger," Hermione said. "Hermione will do."
"Harry Potter, though you can call me Harry," Harry said, grinning at Ron and Hermione.
"Welcome to Alexandria Ron, Hermione, and Harry," Alex invited. "Please make yourselves at home."
"I will," Ron said to everyone at large. "It's toooooooooooooooo early. Or late."
"Get used to it," Katie said with a grin. "You'll be getting up this early every morning."
Harry, Ron, and Hermione's eyes widened in shock.
"You're kidding," Harry said.
"Nope," Elyse said dully. "It nearly kills me with the shock every first couple of days. But you get used to it."
"Oh, thanks," Hermione complimented.
"You're welcome!" Elyse said, suddenly happy.
"You're rooms are ready."
"Ah, thank you, Hayla!" Katie said.
A house-elf stood before them, though an odd-looking one for sure. Underneath a glimmering silver cloak she wore a pillowcase, as though she was enslaved. She had sharp nails on her hands and feet, bulging yellow eyes, pointed ears that seemed overly large for her head, and a stout nose. Her mouth was what really made this scene odd: she was smiling at their arrival.
"It is good to have you back, Misses," Hayla greeted.
"It's great to be back," Heather said. "I am going to miss sleeping in, though…."
"Who are our guests?" Hayla asked. "Hayla prepares a room for two and a room for one. Hayla hopes the Miss won't be lonely? Hayla can change it so the Miss is with the Angels."
"Do that, unless Hermione wants to be alone?" Katie asked.
"No, that's quite all right," Hermione said. "I'm Hermione Granger, Hayla. You can call me Hermione."
"Hello, Miss Hermione," Hayla said, bowing. "Hayla is happy to do what you wishes, as you are friends of the Angels."
"Ron Weasley," Ron said, nodding a hello. "Ron'll do."
"Hello, Mister Ron." Hayla bowed again. "Hayla is happy to do what you wishes, as you are friends of the Angels."
"Harry Potter," Harry said. "Harry will wor--"
"Harry Potter!" Hayla exclaimed. She suddenly clapped her hand over her mouth and hit her nose. "Hayla is sorry to interrupt!"
"Hayla, no!" Katie, Elyse, and Heather all rushed over to her.
"She's still getting out the of the habit her old master put her in," Heather explained. "She keeps punishing herself. She's really getting better at it, though. Alex has been making sure she hasn't been doing it while we were gone."
"Hayla, it's okay," Katie said, moving her hands down to her sides again. "You can do that without punishing yourself. It's not a crime."
"Hayla is sorry!" Hayla said, directing her statement towards Harry. "Hayla did not mean to interrupt! Hayla has heard about Harry Potter! Hayla hears from Dobby the house-elf at Hogwarts!"
Harry rolled his eyes. "Everybody knows about me, Hayla, it's all right. It's not a big deal."
"Hayla is sorry!" Hayla wailed. "Hayla is a bad house-elf! Hayla is so bad, Hayla breaks rules and--"
"Hayla, you break them because we tell you to," Heather said firmly. "You are a good house-elf who does what we ask. We wouldn't trade you for any another house-elf."
"Hayla is bad…" Hayla sobbed.
"Hayla, this is an order," Katie said, staring Hayla in the eyes. "Go change Hermione's room, then go make yourself some tea. Our two gentlemen will need a wake-up call at noon. We have to get our sleeping schedules in order before we can begin, and that must happen soon. Hurry, Hayla, and I command you to stop saying you are a bad house-elf!"
Hayla stopped sobbing and turned around to begin her orders.
Katie, Elyse, and Heather stood.
"Sorry, guys," Elyse said.
"Let's go to our rooms. I didn't give you much time to sleep," Katie said, starting forward.
Everyone but Hermione made movements to follow.
"Oh, not now, Hermione! In the morning!" Ron protested, grabbing her arm and pulling her forward.
"What's up?" Heather asked.
"Spew," Ron murmured.
"S-P-E-W!" Hermione yelled. "Society for the Promotion of Elfish Welfare!"
"'Scuse me," Ron muttered, still pulling her onward.
"You have to set that house-elf free! I can't believe--"
"Hermione, shut up," Katie said flatly, shutting Hermione up at her uncharacteristic bluntness. "I'll argue about it in our room."
"Oh no you won't!" Elyse exclaimed as they continued forward. "I'm not sleeping through that!"
"But you'll be arguing, too, dear friend…." Katie said sinisterly.
Tired and disgruntled, they found and exit from the field to their left and entered a room about the size of Gryffindor Common Room. There were two corridors leading off this room on their left and right and a set of stairs near the back. Katie led them to the stairs and they climbed the circular staircase, which seemed endless from the bottom. There were exits at every floor where the stairs stopped briefly, but Katie always led them higher.
It felt like the top of the stairs, though it seemed only the middle when Katie led them off the stairway and into a hallway with doors on all sides. Katie led them forward through the short hallway where they faced a dilemma between a left turn or a right. The empty stone windows all along the walls faced the outside field and the other side of the base.
"Alex, where are Harry's and Ron's room?" Katie asked.
"Right, right, left, third left," Alex said promptly.
"Oh, good," Katie said vaguely.
They turned right along the stone walls with open archways on the left and closed, curtained windows on the right. They turned at the first turn, a right. At the next turning point they could go any direction they pleased. Katie turned left and then counted the doors until they reached the third. She pushed it open to reveal Harry and Ron's room.
"It's supposed to be an impersonation of the common room and dorms mixed," Katie explained.
Harry and Ron were speechless. Immediately to their left there was an open door which led to an extremely nice bathroom. A fire was burning magnificently in the fireplaces against the left wall, in front of it a couch in between two chairs. A red rug separated this and two four-posters against the right wall, Harry and Ron's trunks in front of them. There was a window on the wall farthest from them with curtains presently drawn around it.
"Make yourselves at home," Heather invited. "But we have to go. We have a long argument ahead of us, I can tell. We're the room down two and to the right. Knock before you enter, and don't come in if you don't have to, because you might get jealous. Remember, we have to hold four people instead of two."
"For Hermione as well," Elyse instructed, "there's a… 'common room', I guess you could say. It's right here." She pointed to the room to the right of Harry and Ron's.
"Goodnight, boys," Katie said, kissing Harry.
"Goodnight, Harry, Ron," Hermione said, kissing Ron goodnight.
The girls left them and entered their room, through which Hermione gave a huge gasp before the door was shut. Harry and Ron shrugged and shut the door to theirs. Incapable of anymore speech, they laid down on their bed and were asleep within moments.