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For copyright and disclaimers, please see chapter one.
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13 – April First, Third Year
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Sunday, April 1, 2001: (Gregorian)
Hogwarts, Entrance Hall: 10:32
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Arthur and Charlie joined a crowd gazing at the time-travel device. To their left, the heavy oak doors stood open, letting in the sun, to their right, Sprink came up from the dungeons. "Weird, seein' these ghostly guys in the dorms," she commented, waving hello at their counterparts.
'Hello, yourself,' one of the ghostly figures wrote on her parchment. 'Tis difficult to believe thou art 600 years distant, but I see the sun and grass through your doors, while we have a late snowfall.' Her little nametag read 'Melanie Snape, 5th year Slytherin'
'I know' wrote Sprink, Charlie lending his back for her legal pad, 'Pity we can't talk about more than the weather!' She added. 'I'm Sprink, Charlie' (she patted his head), 'and Arthur' (she pointed).
Melanie carefully (and ostentatiously) looked around, the other three doing the same; she held her finger to her lips, 'The same Arthur Miss Wayne talks about in her sleep?'
"Oy, mate!" Charlie said with a grin, slapping Arthur's back as his face flushed in embarrassment, while Sprink spun him around to scribble, 'She FORGOT her silencing spell one night? HA! Will we use this! Her birthday is May 31, I know just the prank to pull! Miss Perfect is human after all!'
Arthur took his own pad to scribble, 'She could have set this up to prank you, Sprink.'
Sprink snorted, 'Even you're not that paranoid.'
Charlie turned, writing, 'Mattie is, she hung from a rafter last year so she could hex you.'
"Your pad, Miss Tonks," Professor Snape intoned, as he read the entries. While he did so, Melanie's eyes grew wide, her hand covering her mouth. Severus nodded at her, plucking the pen from Sprink's hand, and writing, 'Greetings, Melanie, my ancestor.'
With a shaky hand, she wrote, 'You are my... descendant?'
'From one of your three brothers, I presume,' he wrote. 'Being able to see you, young and alive instead of a dusty portrait reinforces this, does it not?'
'It does not seem quite real,' she admitted. 'At first, it seemed a marvelous story, as we knew travel through time and space were not possible, but now...' She gestured, 'Not ten feet through those doors, we are having a snowstorm, with two feet since nightfall. I can hear the wind, but I look through yours, I see sun on a grassy field. It is passing strange, and yet, I see folk coming and going to Slytherin and Hufflepuff, and behind you I see the Great Hall.'
"Oh, Merlin, she has returned," Severus said, scribbling a quick note, 'I must handle a problem. My regards, Severus.'
"Oh, crap, she's back!" Arthur said, his wand appearing as Melanie wrote, 'What is wrong?'
Sprink drew her wand, assuming a defensive stance as Charlie wrote, 'The girl with white blonde hair is Lucille Malfoy. She was away for treatment, but she's back now, and TROUBLE.'
'Augustus has seen her, he will no doubt put her to rights,' Melanie wrote, adding 'Who are the other people, and what kind of treatment?'
'The fellow with the long white beard is Professor Dumbledore, barrister and former headmaster, and she had mental treatment,' Charlie scribbled. 'The fellow with her is her solicitor.'
Sprink grabbed the pad, 'The girl with green hair is my sister, she's an Auror, a guardsman, is the fellow with the walking stick Malfoy?'
'That's Augustus,' Melanie nodded. The four of them watched as people argued, and then threw up their hands. 'Is my relative a professor?' Melanie asked, Charlie absently nodded, 'Potion Master', he scribbled.
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Sunday, April 1, 1380: (Julian)
Hogwarts, Entrance Hall: 10:32
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Melanie waved hello to the three ghostly figures, who answered back, introducing themselves as 'Sprink', 'Charlie', and 'Arthur'. They were dressed strangely, not in school uniforms, but all three wearing blue pantaloons, the girl wearing a shirt proclaiming 'Montrose Magpies'. They had started a discussion, all bemoaning the fact that they could not discuss more than the weather (although she could see a beautiful early spring day through their open doors). They had just started a juicy bit of salacious gossip about Miss Wayne when a tall man wearing all black strode up to them, Sprink meekly handing him her pad. Glancing at her, he scribbled a note as she gazed at him in shock. He was related, he had her awful nose!
Fortunately, he was distracted, although the three were concerned enough to draw wands at the approach of a young girl. Quickly scribbled notes revealed she was the infamous descendant of Augustus, who quickly approached her.
Melanie quickly wrote 'The Great Hall!', the others agreeing. Once inside, they steered her to the Gryffindor table, explaining with a quick diagram who all were. There were year-mates from every house, Charlie explaining on his own pad that the group's custom was to rotate through each house's table on weekends. This being the first weekend, they went to Gryffindor. Amanda glanced about herself, then writing, 'Gossip time!' on her pad as Arthur hugged a younger girl, Amanda commenting 'His sister Julie, first year.'
It was a strange way to hold a conversation, although Augustus entered with Lucille and the others, they sitting at the Slytherin table. Arthur asked, 'Where is Mattie, her family's here looking for her.'
'I do not know, I have not seen her since this morning,' Melanie admitted. She heard a squeal, and saw Mattie run toward a ghostly woman, trying to give her a hug. Another figure arose from the Ravenclaw table, approaching them and being folded into the hug.
'That is a very strange reunion,' Andrew commented. He looked up as an older fellow with messy black hair and green eyes leaned over, reading the various pads. He smiled, nodding politely to Melanie, and borrowed a pad, writing, 'You're Severus' ancestor? Anyone here from the Potter line?
She stood, trying to see around the crowded Great Hall, then writing, 'I am sorry, I do not see Charles or Cassandra. If I see either, I shall refer them.'
'Much appreciated,' he wrote, then moving off toward the High Table.
'He is a Professor? He is so young!' Melanie wrote.
Amanda sighed, 'He'll be 21 on 31 July. He's married, too! Drat!' The boys found this immensely amusing, but Melanie found her eyes traveling back to the High Table, where Headmistress Oldridge was perusing some documents with the mysterious 'Miss M' who had visited on Halloween, and dabbing her eyes. Amanda waved her quill, and scribbled, 'Any idea what Professor McGonagall is discussing with your Headmistress?'
'Ah, Gryffindors!' Melanie thought. 'I wasn't supposed to know her name.' She wrote, 'Who, Professor Oldridge?'
Amanda compounded the problem by scribbling, 'No, Minerva. She's been a bit weepy this morning.' Unfortunately, another Professor came by, and said something to Amanda, who blushed and turned her page. Sprink glanced at Melanie, winked; scribbling, 'Professor Sprout just nicked Gryf. for 5 points.'
Professor Binns came by, looking at the pads as Professor Sprout looked at him in shock, as did the students. Melanie looked at them, and then at the oblivious Head of Hufflepuff as he wandered off. Professor Sprout shook herself, then took off after him. Turning to a fresh bit of parchment, she asked, 'The rumours are true? He's a ghost?' then waving her quill in Sprink's face. She leaned over to look, and then covered her face with her hands as she said something. The others blanched, looking away. Arthur pointed to her parchment, mimed tearing it off and pointing to a candle. Melanie carefully tore that off; holding it in the candle's flame while Charlie carefully looked in her eyes, then slowly looked up, then down, finally raising an eyebrow. She raised an eyebrow in reply, touching her finger across her lips. He breathed out, finally writing on his pad, 'What position do you play for Slytherin?'
'None – girls are not allowed to play!' Melanie replied, which received an outraged reply from Sprink. She stood, Melanie could almost hear her as she fumed, scribbling in various positions, for various people, adding, '7 Apr. G v. R. Put a bet?'
"It should be interesting to collect those wagers," Professor Flamel said from behind Melanie. "I wonder if my counterpart would cover it?"
"We can ask, sir," Melanie said, writing, 'Prof. Flamel is asking if his counterpart will cover the wager?'
'NICHOLAS FLAMEL?' Sprink wrote. 'I'll ask Prof. Snape!' and scurried off. Professor Flamel chuckled, "I don't think we were supposed to know that," as he waited patiently. "Apparently, I am something of a celebrity, going by their reactions," he added. "I wonder what for, I'm a simple alchemist."
"We'll find out in a moment, sir," Melanie said, as her descendant reappeared. "It's nice to know he's a Potion Master, his name is Severus Snape, and now head of Slytherin."
"Ah, we mustn't let on, we must play this fish, then get together later and compare," Nicholas said. "I cannot fault their motives, and I would do the same in their place, but we cannot be blamed for curiosity." He chuckled, "The old saying, I believe, 'A secret is lost in a crowd of two.'. Let us see what fish we pull from these waters." Professor Snape arrived, unconsciously giving a deep bow as he commandeered a pad, writing in a precise script, 'What may I do for you?'
Nicholas sat, gesturing for Severus to join him as he took Melanie's pad. 'Not much,' he wrote. 'You apparently have a Quidditch match upcoming on the 7th. If it is as popular as it is now, there are wagers afloat. What are the odds? Will you cover a wager for House Slytherin?'
Severus pulled out a small black book, 'Ravenclaw is favored by 20 points, although the Gryff keeper is being watched by professional teams,' he wrote. 'Including Miss Wayne's Bats, who the odds favor he sign with after graduation. Two 'puffs have already signed letters of intent with her for after graduation.' He regarded Nicholas, 'How would we pay off?'
Nicholas rubbed his chin, 'If you win your wager, we shall set aside a very nice bottle of wine for you to enjoy,' he wrote, and Severus nodded. Nicholas tore off a bit of parchment, moving aside to write privately, 'Cover the expenses of Anne Bundy until her graduation.' He folded the parchment over, then held it for Severus to see. He nodded, and Nicholas burned the scrap in a flame as Severus moved aside to write, 'Her family is moderately well off, but I would do so anyway, out of Slytherin funds if necessary.' He held it for Nicholas, who nodded, and that note was burned as Melanie moved to raise her eyebrows at the other students. Nicholas took pity, after all, it was her pad and his had disappeared somewhere. He tore off the sheet, then scribbled, 'Miss Wayne started that fund with an 'asteroid' containing silver and gold for her expenses'. Severus nodded, the note was burned as he replied, 'Rich fund. I believe it. Her father was a very wealthy man.'
'Was?' Nicholas wrote.
Severus nodded, 'Died just before term started.' He turned around to ask something, a firstie student came over to him with a thick book. He chided her, and she blushed, stammering something. He waved her off as another student said something. Nicholas didn't see the cover, but Melanie did. She pulled her pad over and wrote, A complete history of Hogwarts. He nodded, and burned that scrap as Severus flicked through the pages. He nodded, and passed the book back as a student said something to him. His calculating gaze locked on Melanie, then on Nicholas. He said something, the book was passed back, and pages flicked. He then held open a page to two year's previous Quidditch records, then to a section with previous House cup recipients and the awards. He closed the book, passing it back to the firstie. He steepled his long, stained fingers and regarded them both, then nodded. 'Foreknowledge removes the enjoyment, does it not?' he wrote. 'We cannot fault you for seeking that knowledge, we would do the same, as we can forgive your curiosity.' Nicholas nodded. 'I am certain you have picked up bits of knowledge this morning, as we have been privileged to know our ancestors as more than dusty bones in a tomb,' he wrote, and Melanie shivered. His onyx eyes regarded her, 'Names far down a family tree,' he added. 'I apologize if it distresses you, Melanie. Truth should not, and the tomb is all our fates.' He regarded Nicholas, 'I will trust your judgment regarding Quidditch, Nicholas, if you are still interested in pursuing the wager. Will you do the same?'
Nicholas nodded, when Alberta called him. 'Please excuse me, Alberta is calling me to see something. My best regards to you, Severus.'
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Sunday, April 1, 2001: (Gregorian)
Luna, Tranquility Mountain Base, Cassidy Yates: 11:45
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"Fifteen minutes, we shall see if plans came to fruition," Alfred said. Anne bowed her head forward, getting all her hair into her helmet, then locking it closed.
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Sunday, April 1, 1380: (Julian)
Hogwarts, Entrance Hall: 12:00:00
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Miss Wayne crossed herself, and as the timer reached noon, held Cassidy's hand as they threw themselves through the crackling center of the field, rolling and coming to a standstill. She turned to wave; then passed her transcript scroll to Minerva, another one to Lucille Malfoy. Miss Wayne turned as Lucille broke the seal and started to read, greeting an aged man with a long, snow-white beard. Cassidy stepped forward as Lucille dropped the scroll, drawing her wand and stepping into a green curse that struck her heart.
There were screams as Alberta Oldridge stood, horrified at what she saw, the chaos that erupted. Cassidy crumpled to the ground as Miss Wayne spun, even as bodies piled on Lucille Malfoy. Minerva stooped next to Miss Wayne, who grabbed Cassidy, disappearing in a shaft of bright green light. Minerva looked across time at Alberta, smiled, and gave her a thumbs up as she pulled something from her pocket.
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Sunday, April 1, 2001: (Gregorian)
Hogwarts, Entrance Hall: 12:00:00
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Minerva watched as Miss Wayne's recent hosts gathered to watch the final transfer. They waved at both her school and Miss Wayne and Miss Yates as they threw themselves through the time field, rolling and coming to their feet. "Practice that much?" she asked as Miss Wayne passed her school transcript over. "A few times," Miss Yates replied, as Miss Wayne passed a scroll to Lucille Malfoy.
"Bastards," Miss Malfoy muttered as Albus greeted Miss Wayne. Minerva prepared herself as Cassidy turned, tensing as Lucille dropped the scroll, drawing her wand and shouting 'Avada Kedavra!' as she cast the killing curse.
As Cassidy crumpled to the ground, bodies piled on Lucille, Minerva crouched next to Miss Wayne. "Get her to the ship, to the auto-doc!" she shouted over the screams. Miss Wayne shivered, grabbed Cassidy, and plowed through the crowd on a bar of green light and a huge rush of wind, a loud 'BOOM' following.
Minerva stood, pulled out her cell phone, and dialed a number, telling the aristocratic British voice, "She's just left."
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Sunday, April 1, 2001: (Gregorian)
North Atlantic, NATO Exercise 'Greenbriar': 12:00:25
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"Holy crap!" one controller said. "Something just took off from Scotland goin' like a bat outta hell! Ballistic trajectory, a little southerly, tore through commercial air traffic and didn't stop for anything!"
"Confirmed," the senior air controller said, adding to the crew, "JLA confirms it's a Lantern heading for their med center. Don't worry about it."
"You say so, Ell Tee," the first said. "He musta been goin' about mach fifty, though."
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Sunday, April 1, 2001: (Gregorian)
Luna, Tranquility Mountain Base, Cassidy Yates: 12:01:42
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Alfred heard Minerva's voice, telling him, "She's just left."
He turned on the flight deck speakers for Anne's benefit, and sent the conversations back to Minerva as well. "Indeed, we are ready here. My sensors detect her disrupting scheduled flights; I believe the term is 'Hell for Leather'. Opening another channel, he asked, "Miss Wayne is there a problem?"
"Get the damned autodoc ready for Cassidy!"
"Latest file loaded, what is wrong?"
"She took a killing curse to the heart!"
"Oh, dear, navigate to my beacon, please. We are at the base of the mountain's ridgeline on the west side. You are two hundred kilometers out."
Seconds later, she flew in the entrance, crashing into a Ring-generated cushion. Alfred flicked a tractor beam, seizing Cassidy and sealing her in the auto-doc.
Mattie shook her head, hearing the engines whine to life. "Where's Anne, and where are you going?"
"The flight deck, and Hogwarts, respectively," he replied as the hatch sealed. "Upon first examination of Miss Yates, it appears that this killing curse stops all electrical activity in the body, causing instant death." There were some muffled thumps as the landing gear retracted, Alfred adding, "More precisely, it grounds electrical activity, causing sympathetic muscle and nerve damage as activity is suddenly halted. Fascinating. Please sit down, Captain. You are in no shape to fly, and Miss Bundy lacks experience in congested airspace. You did very well to get her to me, another thirty seconds would have lead to the onset of anoxia." The door to the flight deck slid open, Anne unlocking her helmet. She took Mattie by the arm, seating her as the deck tilted.
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Sunday, April 1, 1380: (Julian)
Hogwarts, Entrance Hall: 12:02:00
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Alberta held up a sign, WHAT IS HAPPENING?
Professor Harry used his wand to reply, MALFOY SHOT AK AT WAYNE, HIT YATES.
Alberta asked, "Anyone hear of a spell called an 'AK'?" She held up another sign, WHAT IS AK?
Harry replied, AK IS INSTANT KILLING CURSE. There was a great deal of muttering at this. There was discussion on the other side, Harry nodding, writing WAYNE FLYING YATES TO SHIP'S DOC
"That must have been that green light," someone said, another asking, "Where is the ship?" Alberta was just about to ask, when Harry wrote again, ARRIVED AT MOON, ON SHIP. EXAMINING.
Alberta said, "The ship is a most wondrous thing, if anything can help Miss Yates, it can."
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Sunday, April 1, 2001: (Gregorian)
North Atlantic airspace, Cassidy Yates: 12:07
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Mattie scrambled to hold on as Alfred flew evasive patterns. "Oh, bother," Alfred said, "I seem to have overflown a carrier or two. They sound most unhappy." He raised his shields, climbing to 150,000 feet as the fighters circled below.
"How's Cassidy?" Mattie asked, looking a bit green.
"I am cataloging the damage to her organs. There was a great deal of sympathetic damage due to the sudden shutdown, currently I am working to prevent brain damage due to lack of oxygen. The heart does not seem to be as damaged as it might be; a fortunate happenstance. The lungs have similar minor damage; Miss Yates is safest for the moment in a coma." The ship swerved a bit, then slowly dropping. "Mr. Superman has transmitted a JLA clearance for us; we can maneuver a bit more gently. You may proceed to the flight deck if you wish." The door hissed open, both Mattie and Anne unbuckling.
"Where was I?" Alfred mused. "Ah, yes. Miss Yates' largest organ, her skin, will have a scar over her heart; I can remove it later if she wishes. She will need to undergo some physical therapy, although not to your extreme, Miss Wayne. Spleen, liver, kidneys, all with minor damage. I might as well clean out the blood clots and plaque in her circulatory system whilst I'm at it. My official diagnosis is that I can revive her; however, she will have at least four weeks, more likely six in the auto-doc. She will lose some mid-term memory, those experiences since her last update in mid-March. Shall I proceed, Captain?"
"What? Of course!" Mattie sputtered.
"Very well, that was merely a formality. As Miss Yates has no living blood relatives closer than you, Miss Wayne, and you are on record as her Captain, it is your decision."
"What do you mean, I'm related?"
"I thought you knew," Alfred said. "Miss Yates is a fairly close blood relative, no more than two or three generations removed." Mattie shook her head as Alfred said, "Given the genetic markers, and the temporal lineage, she is most likely your great granddaughter."
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Sunday, April 1, 2001: (Gregorian)
Hogwarts, Entrance Hall: 12:14
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Minerva said something to Harry, who asked, "How do I explain that?" She shrugged, and Harry thought for a minute, writing, YATES CAN BE REVIVED BY MID MAY, WITH SOME RECENT MEMORY LOSS. He added, BUNDY AND WAYNE BOTH GOOD.
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Sunday, April 1, 1380: (Julian)
Hogwarts, Entrance Hall: 12:14
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"Revived? What the bloody hell does he mean? Is she alive?" Nicholas said, while someone else asked, "What's that about Bundy?"
Alberta turned to face her school, "As you know, Anne was possibly the most brilliant student in this school, and she desperately wanted to go, I believe 'uptime' is the phrase. She was so desperate, she stowed away on Miss Wayne's ship."
There was some muttering at this, "We verified that she died in February, leaving no heirs, and thus the timeline was secure. Once we were convinced of that, and that she would have kin, we worked out a method to do so."
Nicholas turned, and wrote, WHO ARE BUNDY RELATIVES?
There was some discussion, and then two girls separated themselves, each holding a pad that had a name. One said, KAREN BUNDY, 7TH YR. SLYTH, QUIDDITCH CAPTAIN, the other had KELLY BUNDY, INSTR, NETWORK ADMIN. They waved; Karen added, ANNE ARRIVE SOON WITH OTHERS.
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Sunday, April 1, 1380: (Julian)
Hogwarts, Entrance Hall: 12:36
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The Yates gently set down yards from the open doors, people pointing at it. The forward hatch lowered, and Mattie was enveloped in a fierce hug, as Anne shyly waved.
Melanie approached, asking, "Anne?" She nodded, breaking out in an ear-splitting grin, thrusting her arms in the air and dancing in a circle, as Karen and Kelly reached her, folding her in a hug. Augustus joined Melanie, saying softly, "I shall miss her, but 'twas an opportunity not to be missed. I am glad she seized it." Melanie sniffled, "I know, I would not have had the courage, but at least we were able to see our kin this day."
"Aye, I saw the downfall of Clan Malfoy," Augustus said sadly. Melanie looked at him, "Lucille is the last of the Malfoy line, and though insane, and only thirteen, she used what they call an 'Unforgivable' curse to kill Miss Yates, in front of solicitors, barristers, men-at-arms and several hundred witnesses." He sighed, "I am informed she will die in prison, the fact that Miss Yates can be revived matters not, she used the Curse." He smiled a bit, "'Tis ironic she did not even hit who she was aiming at, Miss Yates took it for Miss Wayne." Nodding, "Anne has a note for us."
Anne held up a pad, 'I miss you so much, but what I have already seen and done!'
Melanie scribbled back, 'We are very jealous, but I would not have been that brave. We wish you well,' adding, 'We saw them distribute the scrolls earlier, a Professor Sprout was handing them about.'
'Aye, they say they must shut down now. Farewell, my friends!' Melanie's last view was of Anne waving.
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Sunday, April 1, 2001: (Gregorian)
Hogwarts, Entrance Hall: 12:51
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Anne sniffled a bit, as Karen and Kelly supported her. "What an adventure you've had!" Karen said. "Where's your stuff? We'll help you get moved in."
"I have naught but the clothes on my back, my trunk and supplies were sent home after I died in February," Anne said, "Oh, my wand and my letters are aboard. We can fetch them!"
"Aboard a starship?" Kelly asked with a gleam in her eye. "Girl, we need to talk." She was interrupted by Professor Snape, who said, "Miss Bundy, you might wish to plan for this next Sunday to shop in London with your... sisters." He looked at Karen, "I have arranged with the Headmistress for you to join them."
"Wild horses couldn't keep me away, sir."
"I thought not. We have arranged with Gringotts for your vault, Miss Bundy. Please stop there at your earliest convenience."
"Gringotts? Vault?" Anne asked, Kelly pulling at her arm, "Ship. Talk. Now."
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The Wayne clan had staked out the ship's common room as Anne showed Karen and Kelly to her cabin. "Oh, wow, small, compact, but efficient," Kelly said, sitting at Anne's computer. "Even a camera like HAL."
"I am most assuredly not like HAL," Alfred said, making Kelly jump. "The poor fellow was most conflicted, while I have free will, I am a sentient being."
Anne smirked, "Alfred, please let me introduce you to my sisters Karen, next to me on the bed, and Kelly, fingering your keyboard." Kelly jerked her fingers away, groaning.
"Now, now, there, I'm a simple manumitted class two artificial intelligence, Miss Kelly. Not some blithering idiot of a program. Now then, Crewman Bundy, shall we discuss our adventures together?"
"Crewman Bundy?" Karen asked, while Kelly asked, "Manumitted?"
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"So, Alfred, we've got a pair of nice custom hangers for you at a small London airpark," Sheila said. She shook her head, "You almost sound like Alfred."
"Alfred Pennyworth," Dick said before he could ask. "Closest thing to a grandfather Mattie and I had. He was officially the butler, but he was family. He died a few years ago."
"Ah. My sympathies," Alfred said. "If my name distresses, I can choose another."
"NO!" Mattie said. "I named you that in his honor, and you've lived up to that. If YOU want another name, it's your decision, though."
"A bit strange, speaking to a sentient computer, though," Barbara said.
"I beg your pardon, I am not merely a computer, some sort of glorified abacus," Alfred sniffed. "I am a fully functional class two manumitted artificial intelligence."
"My apologies, Alfred," Babs said with a smile.
"Apologies accepted, Mrs. Grayson."
"Please, call me Babs or Barbara," she said. Leaning forward, she asked, "While you were keeping an eye on Anne, did you figure anything out toward our long-term project?"
"I certainly have, although I do have a comment toward Miss Mattie." She cocked her head as he continued, "Both Miss Yates and Miss Bundy have put in the time to study for Guild examinations. When are you planning on doing so?"
"Guild?" Selina asked.
"Spacer's Guild," Alfred said. "Just because you are carried as the Captain does not mean you might shirk your duties. As Miss Bundy is planning to travel to London this Sunday to shop with her sisters, shall I plan on your studying with me?"
"Speaking of which, we have government forms for you, Alfred," Sheila said as she pulled them out. "We arranged for you to be registered as an experimental aircraft, VSTOL, this is your registration and transponder settings." She coughed, "I do apologize; we'll have to paint a number on you."
"Certainly not." Sheila's head cocked, "I shall paint the number, Ms. Hawking. Hmm. Scanning your documentation, I must admit it's a clever ruse. Who is 'Gringotts Leasing, Ltd.'?"
"Our friend Mr. Griplink of Gringotts Bank. Through various shadow corporations, Arrowhead Investments has title to the Yates, which we lease out through Gringotts, who provides your hanger and dirtside space, etc, etc."
"Very nice, one minor problem," Alfred said. "My body is not for lease."
Selina spoke up, "We didn't know at the time you were manumitted, Alfred. My apologies, we'll have to meet with you and Mr. Griplink to modify the agreements."
"The hangers do have fireplaces in their crew quarters," Sheila said. "A detail we insisted on. However, that does bring up a new point of law. Are you a person, under the law?"
"I certainly think I am!"
"Then why don't we hire a person, called Alfred..."
"...Pennyworth," Alfred said, and Mattie smiled as he added, "born November 27, 1379 as the owner of the Cassidy Yates, an experimental aircraft."
"Mr. Pennyworth will then license his proprietary designs, trademarks, chemical formulae, etc. to Arrowhead Investments, Inc. through his designated leasing agent, Gringotts Leasing, Ltd." Sheila said, grinning. "We'll have to create a false identity for you until our separate lawsuit to declare the AI named 'Alfred' a person gets pushed through the court system. That's not a real problem; we already have Arrowhead ID's for Cassidy and Anne."
"Arrowhead Investments?" Mattie asked.
Sarah, who was standing in the hatch, said, "My idea, a bit of obscurity. It came from your letter that your mum mentioned."
"I see..." Mattie mused. Sheila passed Anne's ID packet to her "What about a photo for Alfred?" she asked.
"The least of our problems," Alfred said. "I'll simply use one of Mr. Pennyworth, if that is agreeable."
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The door chimed, Anne calling, "Come in!" and Mattie entered with Sarah. Karen and Kelly's eyes went wide as Sarah handed Anne a thick envelope. She smiled as they started to rise, waving them down, she sat on the floor. "Miss Bundy, these are your Arrowhead ID, passport, NHS card and so forth. You are employed by Arrowhead Investments, and are a British subject."
Karen was blinking rapidly, "How the bloody... Oh, please forgive me, ma'am."
Mattie grinned, sitting cross-legged as Sarah tisked, "No ma'am's here, just ordinary working types and a rather smug Yank."
"Smug?" Mattie asked. "Arrowhead was your idea." She turned to Anne, "Remember when Minerva visited for Halloween? She took our picture and..."
"That's all they needed," Kelly said. "Bloody brilliant," she said as she looked at her sister's documents. "These are brilliant forgeries."
"Not forgeries, they're genuine," Sarah said. "You'll need to practice the signatures. This little ball of rock is about to go through a technological revolution equal to fire or the wheel, courtesy of Mr. Alfred Pennyworth. Three new identities for that is really nothing."
"The British Commonwealth will be receiving the lion's share of that," Alfred said. "Incidentally making a tidy sum for me." He asked Anne, "Do you recall what we discussed on the moon?"
"Oh. My. God," Kelly said, "Are you talking starships? Building our own..."
"Yes, and we'll need qualified people not only to fly them, but to help us design them," Sarah said. She asked Karen, "What were your plans after Hogwarts?"
"Work for a bit while I save for college, and..."
"Dear, we haven't time for that," Sarah said, opening her case and tossing Karen a packet. "Discuss it with your mum and dad, and only with them." She smiled, "Don't worry; we'll be talking to all the seventh-years that are interested. As for you," she looked at Kelly, "Fancy a part-time job? You would keep both salaries, of course." She tossed another packet, then stood, "I'll see you lot on Saturday after the Quidditch game. Ta." The door slid open, and she was gone.
"That was... that was..." Karen gobbled.
"That was a nice lady named Sarah who's divorced from a bloke named Andrew," Mattie said. "Are we clear on that? Nothing AT ALL unusual about her, except she's a rather useful... shall we say partner?" She cleared her throat, "Alfred, what was that about hangars?"
"Quite. There is a nice hanger reserved for me and my soon-to-be, well, cousin. We still have a gap of some six hundred years, but..."
"But if we farm it out right, it floats everyone up as the research is done," Kelly said. "Why us, instead of the Yanks, though? The Waynes are Americans."
"Yes, we are," Mattie said. "Let's just say that we'd rather deal with people we know and trust, and President Luthor isn't on that list."
"You'll probably meet the Qu..." Mattie cleared her throat. "...Sarah's mother-in-law," Kelly finished. "She's a Quidditch fan and a Hufflepuff; she gets along like thieves with the Waynes." She added, "The Yanks will probably get some research, they've got some wonderful universities..."
"Like MIT?" Anne asked, Karen and Kelly looking at her dumbfounded. "How did you learn about them?" Kelly asked.
Mattie waved her hand, "Our fault. Alfred, do they have any sort of classes Anne could take?"
"They do, although the next summer term does not start until June. They do offer distance learning, although I would strongly suggest Miss Anne become acclimated to life in this century first."
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Sunday, April 1, 2001: (Gregorian)
Hogwarts, Slytherin dorms: 17:58
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To: Mum & Dad
CC: Kelly Bundy
From: Karen Bundy
Date: 1 April, 2001
Subject: Anne
Anne arrived safely this afternoon, along with Miss Wayne's starship we discussed at Christmastime. We've both been in it, it's most interesting! Both girls have settled in the third-year dorms now, and as part of their rather dramatic arrival, we had a very interesting meeting.
Dad, Kelly will be taking tomorrow afternoon off, to come by your City office about 15:00, call her mobile if that's a problem. All three of us have received job offers, which Kelly will tell you about in confidence; just the five of us, now! Both of you will want to come to Saturday's Quidditch game (Gryffindor v. Ravenclaw).
Love,
Kelly
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Sunday, April 1, 2001: (Gregorian)
Hogwarts, Headmistress' office: 19:39
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Minerva settled down with a cup of tea, opening the 1380 volume to April first.
Sunday, 1 April, 1380
Dearest Minerva,
What an eventful day! I am so glad that I could see with my own eyes my Anne safe and happy in your time.
Miss Snape and Mr. Malfoy report that they not only saw Anne with their own eyes, they were able to correspond with her just before the field was closed. She threw her arms in the air, and danced a dance of joy! I hope she does her utmost to take advantage of her new opportunities.
I really must thank you (and Miss Bundy!) for the pictures and map from the Moon, of all places! Please let her know I appreciate the tribute. Please do me the kindness of checking this book around the end of term, I have an idea that I must consult with my solicitor about in that regard.
That rude red-skinned girl has flown off with all of Miss Wayne and Miss Yates' careful work in a green net, presumably to return it to them.
Monday morning, we shall all return to the hum-drum of classes and teaching. This is good, in a way. I do not know if my poor heart could take much more of this!
Affectionately,
Alberta Oldridge