Chapter 73
The League of Paranormal Investigations' London base now had a table, and more importantly chairs to sit around.
Professor Qadesh Hawksburn, Olivia Mansfield, Harry Pearce, Judith, Ioan and Harry Potter sat around said table updating, reporting and ultimately finding out when what seemed like the inevitable was going to happen.
The invasion of Earth by the Daleks.
Which according to Ian and Barbara didn't happen until the late 21st century. Maybe it was happening early.
"After scanning all the sketches into our WOTAN analytical engine we, together with GCHQ have been able to discern what we believe to be the specific time and day that the Earth is moved, and when the Dalek invasion will begin," Professor Hawksburn announced.
"You've still got bits of WOTAN knocking around?" Harry asked surprised.
"Properly contained of its megalomania I hope, we don't want a repeat of anything," Judith commented in a warning tone.
Hawksburn was unfazed. "Of course. We have many buffers in place, this is not the same intelligence from 1966."
"So, you have the date Professor, when we must defend our planet?" Mansfield said.
"Against all who might destroy her," continued Pearce.
-/
Harry leaned back. Porton Down and GCHQ had done good work, Hawksburn had explained, utilising things like advert placement in Piccadilly Circus, number plates and even what seemed like road repairs in some of the sketches to work out the exact date and use other things to double check. They were of course still relying on seers' precognition of what was to come. But they couldn't afford not to.
"We also believe the disappearance of the bees is significant," Hawksburn continued.
"Do you know in what way? The World Ecology Bureau was onto that early. Not that I knew anything, they thought it might be something LPI had something to do with." Harry asked.
"GCHQ is still going through the reports. UNIT's being somewhat co-operative," Hawksburn continued.
"And what of Martha Jones? Returned from her travels with the Doctor, I noticed Harry's reports tell us," Olivia Mansfield noted looking to Harry Pearce.
"Immediately co-opted by UNIT to their New York division so UNIT's internal reports say," Harry commented. "They've not debriefed her regarding her time with the Doctor and there's scant about what might have been said by Sontarans and the Doctor," Harry commented casually.
"And you learnt this through entirely legal means Potter?" Mansfield asked arching an eyebrow.
"I think we are far beyond silly questions of legality Olivia. Your associates have after all been disabling nuclear weapons that would be used to destroy this planet," Harry countered.
"That mission has wrapped up Potter. Quite successfully," she replied.
"Good," Said Harry in a short tone. "One less thing to worry about."
"What about defending London. Should we?" Ioan asked. It had been something they'd been wondering about. How do you defend any city knowing what was coming, yet not knowing the numbers of...anything and would defence mean more deaths and destruction? It was also a question they danced around.
"A question I raised with the Home Secretary," Pearce said. "In so many words," he added as the table of their somewhat secret group of people looked in his direction. "The Ministry of Defence will be involved," Pearce paused. "But to maintain a 'separation of power' someone involved in the government would need to relay our instructions." Pearce explained tactfully. "It was suggested Baroness Blythe be that individual," he said this final part in Harry's direction.
"Makes sense. She's cleared for everything," Harry nodded.
"Blythe?" Hawksburn asked.
"Part of the Greyhaven Protocols," Harry explained. "I expect you've already contacted her," Harry asked. "Or someone within Section D?"
"Indeed Potter," Pearce confirmed, then his phone rang.
Judith started slow clapping. "How melodramatic of you Pearce. Shall I send the lift down?"
He gave her a cold look. "No," He stepped up. "This is a more local problem," he said stepping away from the table retreating to a sectioned off part of the room.
"The Baroness should join us shortly, very soon she'll be needed," Mansfield said.
"I've got her number if need be," Harry commented idly and then looked to Hawksburn. "I've been thinking we should use all the assets that are being worked on and everything that was recovered from Torchwood One," Harry said calmly.
Hawksburn froze for a moment looking at Harry. "You're serious."
"Might as well throw everything at this." Judith commented. "If we're going to try and defend against the Daleks we might as well throw in the kitchen sink."
"That might confuse them," Harry mused.
"What of the international effort to alert others groups?" Ioan asked, directing his question at Olivia.
"International relations aren't exactly what my department specialises in," she said. "But I have made contact with those who can be trusted to allow certain preparations to be made."
It was then that Pearce returned. Harry enquired him with a raised eyebrow but it seemed that whatever it was wasn't related to their current discussions. "Blythe has been contacted and will be here when next we meet."
"Soon," Ioan commented. "Given we've got less than 3 weeks to prepare for this..." He trailed off.
Harry nodded. "I should make you all aware I have a secondary plan to deal with the Daleks. I've yet to work it all out," Harry said attracting everyone's attention.
"Secondary plan Potter?" Mansfield fixed him with a look. "What exactly?"
Harry shook his head. "When I'm closer to working it out I'll say. I just wanted you all to know that there's someone working on the 'what we do next' scenario."
"After we've been invaded by Daleks you mean Potter?" Hawksburn asked.
"Defending ourselves once we're wherever we end up. In the lair of the Daleks," Harry answered.
"And our return, what data we have suggests Earth will be moved rather than the planets moved to us," Professor Hawksburn said.
"Yes. That as well," Harry continued to answer.
-/ - \\-
After the representatives from MI5, MI6 and Porton Down had left Harry looked to Ioan. They'd not really had time for a proper meeting since the cleanup of the ATMOS stuff. Inevitably the Ministry had been in contact with them. Nothing much to be explained, but there were several instances of enterprising wizards who'd harvested the ATMOS smoke and had been intending something nefarious with it that LPI had needed to sort out quickly while it was all still recent.
Cohort Dow and Andrew Fuller could wait.
"My wife was pleased and unsurprised that several meals out at LPI's expense ends in us needed to construct a positive pressure environment in the underground eating establishment we found ourselves in," Ioan said to Harry's curious gaze.
Harry was surprised. "And would you have known what to do had you not been a part of this fascinating little organisation?" He asked.
Ioan smiled. "No Harry."
"Well, Harry's in gripped suspense," Judith said. She was standing by the window, having watched the various people leave in their cars which had been securely parked within the Post Office Tower's somewhat small car park.
"'Caesar's mushroom' isn't that unremarkable I'll give it that," Ioan paused. "Good thing LPI was paying though," he continued.
Harry leaned back in his chair, he'd patiently gotten through this much of Cohort Dow's puzzle, this next step with Andrew Fuller whose body continued to reveal things would be one more step in the staircase towards the puzzle's completion. He thought to himself looking challengingly at Judith's back waiting for her to say something. Annoyingly she continued to look out the window.
Ioan meanwhile had rolled out a map onto the table. "This was the only restaurant that recognised Fuller," he said pointing to one on Little College Street.
"That's no where near the Ministry," Harry said leaning over the map. "Only near Westminster," he said tapping the table in thought, he remained in deep thought for longer than was regarded as normal, even to his associates.
"Are you alright Harry?" Ioan asked after more longer than a pause, though shorter than a break.
"Just thinking on that alternate Harry. Something about the memories, it felt like there was a..." he trailed off shaking his head. "A something about the Palace of Westminster. I'm not sure."
"Something we should look into, wander the corridors of power you mean?" Ioan asked looking to Judith.
"I wouldn't mind a wander," she looked to Harry.
"Not now. Cohort Dow can stew, this invasion isn't going to wait," he exhaled. "Your Quidditch mates," Harry looked to Ioan.
Ioan inclined an eyebrow curiously. "Thought the Minister said to tell no one."
"And probably trust even fewer people no doubt," Harry said. "If this goes the way that everything is saying we should have witches and wizards be aware but not alarmed."
Ioan exhaled. "They only know so many people Harry. You are going to tell others aren't you?"
Harry nodded. "Those who I know who I can trust will do the right thing at the right time and know people who know others who won't panic about the end of everything," Harry paused. "Now that we have a firm date to work with," he frowned.
"Yet you're still looking for trouble Harry," Judith observed.
Harry shook his head. "Just the Sontarans. I want some questions answered as we go forward," he tapped the map again in thought. "Might have some bearing on what's to come."
"And who're you going to ask about that?" Ioan asked. "We've already gone through UNIT and Torchwood's data."
"A journalist I know and a dog I hate," Harry replied.
-/ - \\-
"Mum! Some guy's here to see you," the teenager called as he opened the door and looked around Harry to look at his Lotus Exige, parked in the driveway. "Cool car," he praised.
As Sarah came to the door Harry raised an eyebrow. The teen was still standing behind her. "You know, I think I should visit more often Sarah. Last time I visited you didn't have a son."
Sarah laughed nervously and welcomed him in. "Luke is my adopted son," she turned around to the teen. "Luke, this is Harry Potter, an old friend. He works in a similar field to UNIT...and others."
"Like the stuff you do mum?" He asked curiously.
Harry raised an eyebrow. "Like you do?"
"Come on Harry," Sarah called. "Come in and have a cup of tea, you can tell me all about what's recently happened with this ATMOS thing."
"Mum didn't install one," Luke said as they walked in. "She didn't trust it. Maria's parents did, same with Clyde," Luke explained.
"Friends?" Harry asked, pausing to try and read Luke's expression. "Enemies?" Harry continued to wonder on the teen.
"Friends," Sarah said as she put the kettle on.
"We help mum with the aliens and stuff," Luke explained.
Harry looked to Sarah surprised, Sarah was busily arranging her tea things. Then there was a knock on the door and the sound of footsteps coming in. "Sarah Jane? Luke? Whose ride is that outside? Looks faster than your little thing," said a voice walking into the kitchen.
"One of your Scooby Gang?" Harry asked as he leaned against the wall.
Luke gave him a puzzled look.
"Who're you?" Asked another teen who walked in.
"Evidently you're Clyde, unless your parents are new age and went for a female name," Harry looked to Sarah. "Is new age still a thing?"
Sarah gave him a look. "Harry, you're too young to be wondering things like that."
"A turn through the 70s doesn't help," he muttered.
"Clyde what did I tell you about ringing the door bell and then waiting for me to open the door," Sarah chastised lightly.
"Thought you were in trouble Sarah Jane. Fast car in the drive way, not seen it before," he said looking at Harry.
Harry looked at the teen. "My name's Harry Potter. That car is mine."
"He's an old friend of mum's," Luke explained.
"You don't look as..." The teen, Clyde paused. "Mature as Sarah Jane."
"That really depends on your point of view," Harry paused. "Now Sarah and I have some things to chat about why don't you go back to what you were doing," Harry said in a calm tone.
"Go back to what I was..." Clyde intoned and then Sarah hit Harry.
"Harry Potter! Don't you mesmerise my friends," Sarah exclaimed.
Harry exhaled annoyed. "I just don't want to have to explain my everything to your chums, who haven't even seen the official secrets act I assume, let alone signed it."
Clyde looked at him shrewdly. "And you have? We've seen more things than you could ever imag-" He began.
"I've travelled through time, stepped on alien sand, I've faced up against genocide maniacs, died, been tortured and done far more horrible things than you could even imagine Clyde," Harry said coldly to him.
Then the kettle pinged and clicked off breaking the silence that had elongated through the room.
"Luke?" Clyde asked pausing in the doorframe.
"Yep," Luke said looking to Harry.
Harry offered Luke his hand.
Luke grabbed it. "Nice to meet you Harry."
"You too Luke," Harry smiled at the teen. "I hope you keep Sarah safe whenever she's running down corridors towards danger."
He laughed and nodded. "Of course."
-/
"You shouldn't have been so harsh to Clyde Harry," Sarah chastised lightly.
Harry snorted. "I don't appreciate dick waving, especially by a teenager. Some of the things I've seen give me nightmares Sarah and he's busy..." he trailed off. "Sorry, should I go and..." he trailed off again motioning towards the door.
Sarah laughed. "Don't be silly Harry. You'll just be one of my 'weird' friends now. Luke trusts you."
"Luke seems..." Harry trailed off.
"Seems...?" Sarah prompted.
Harry shook his head. He'd been thrown by the arrival of Clyde. "Not sure, it's probably nothing. He just seemed to work out everything about me and this situation and stayed calm about it." Harry said as he thought back through meeting Luke. "Logical, calm, collected," he looked at Sarah. "He's someone special isn't he?"
"Of course Harry, he's my son," Sarah beamed.
-/
"The Sontarans? So all this ATMOS?" Sarah mused to herself as Harry finished explaining the recent exciting adventure. "And the Doctor?"
He nodded. "Met him again, the one you met. It'd been a while for me."
"And you didn't ask him your questions?" Sarah asked.
"It didn't occur to me until now. I was hoping I could quiz the dog that hates me. Or your other special computer you alluded to the last time we chatted. When you didn't have a son," he said looking pointedly at her.
"K9's away. You can ask Mr Smith if you'd like," Sarah offered.
"Mr Smith?" Harry asked as Sarah got up.
-/
They were stood in Sarah's attic.
"Mr Smith I need you," Sarah announced.
Then suddenly there was a whole lot of fan fare and the chimney folded out.
"I take it you don't have a fire very often," Harry commented.
"Sarah Jane. Who is this?" The computer in the fireplace asked curiously.
"Harry Potter. League of Paranormal Investigations," Harry said to the computer. He already liked this computer more than the tin dog.
"Your information is noted," said the very chummy voice of the computer 'Mr Smith'.
"Mr Smith Harry's curious about the Sontarans," Sarah explained to the computer, it was as though Sarah had seen inside Torchwood Three in Cardiff and decided to do something completely opposite to its design standards.
"A species at war with the Rutans," Mr Smith said.
"I know that. War so long they probably don't know why they're fighting. The Sontarans recently attempted an invasion of Earth. From what I and Sarah know the Sontarans won't have an interest in Earth until-" He paused and looked to Sarah.
"Till after the solar flares," she provided.
"Why would they show an interest now? And would the gas produced by the ATMOS devices have any leaning on their decision?" Harry asked producing a USB stick and offering it to the computer.
"Caesofine concentrate. One part of Bosteen, two parts Probic five," Mr Smith reported.
"Yep. UNIT's report said that," Harry said looking to Sarah. "He's much friendlier than K9."
"Only you don't like K9 Harry." Sarah commented idly.
"Where is he anyway?" Harry looked around the attic wondering if he was on charge or something.
"Plugging up a black hole," Sarah said casually as though that's of course where her irritating metal dog would be.
"The composition is similar to clonefeed used by the Sontarans on their cloneworlds," reported Mr Smith.
Harry mused for a moment. "And are aliens as literal as I think they are?" He wondered to Sarah.
"Clone feed as in, feeding clones?" Sarah asked, Harry wasn't sure who him or Mr Smith, but she looked to him. "Do you think they were trying to kill everyone on Earth to use it as a clone world for their army?"
Harry shrugged a 'I don't know'. "But why? Surely Mr Smith the Sontarans would have other cloneworlds better suited, terraforming the Earth seems like a lot of work."
"It's not actually terraforming Harry," Sarah corrected idly. "Terraforming refers to making like the Earth."
"The home world of the Sontarans is Sontar," Mr Smith helpfully provided.
Harry rolled his eyes. "Fine Sontarforming then," Sarah made to open her mouth. "Or whatever the Latin for the Sontaran's homeworld is."
Sarah smiled a satisfied smile but didn't say anything more.
"Now that we've got that sorted out the question of why," Harry continued.
"Perhaps their other cloneworlds were unavailable," Mr Smith posited.
Harry nodded. "That's a thought. Unhelpful though it is. It doesn't really enlighten me,"
Harry fell into the silence deep in thought and wondered if he was doing the right thing.
To not tell Sarah what was coming.
It was a decision he hated, one that he'd made in consultation with Judith and Ioan. Judith especially had advocated not telling her as a tactical decision.
They knew very little about what was coming with the Daleks' invasion and what they did know gave them a tactical advantage, one they needed to use to the fullest extent.
Sarah Jane Smith's activities in the past year of two had illustrated she tended towards the use of non-lethal force when dealing with incursions.
It was something they could not afford to risk.
However, inside the USB stick was information, vague and encrypted, enough information for whichever computer to keep her and now her son safe.
Harry hoped Sarah would forgive him, not telling her.
But this was about the planet, there was too much at stake.
It would be defended.
-/ - \\-
"How goes the installation at Beacon Hill?" Harry looked up from the mass of technologies that he was assembling under a large canopy gazebo-like structure that would keep the weather out until he needed it. Not that the thin plastic and metal structure would stop what he was building.
"It should do. If the structure we'll be aiming for is in the right position," Ioan said walking up to the device Harry was working on.
"We're all working on a 'what if' scenario Ioan," Harry admitted as he held his sonic screwdriver near a set of cables, welding them against the casing. Almost burning his hands in the process as the casing warped under the sonic screwdriver's power.
"Where did you learn how to do this Harry?" Ioan asked looking around the collected cables and arrangements of technologies.
Harry smirked up at Ioan. "It's not exactly something you learn here is it? No wizard's ever thought-" Harry was cut off in his musings.
"How to build a temporal bomb? I bet had they thought to think that way they could," Ioan commented. "To get rid of the undesirables, us deviants they didn't want to think about,"
Harry inclined his head to Ioan. "Even if they had, the damage wouldn't be huge, not with the reach of a time turner," Harry patted the top of one of the bits of technology. More than 80 percent of it was Dalek, that was the point. "My illicit explorations on board the Doctor's TARDIS," Harry continued by way of explaining his knowledge. "I learnt a great many things. Many of them not good, plenty more gruesome and nightmarish. This though..." Harry trailed off. "Is surprisingly simple, if you've got a catalyst, then it should all slot into place."
Ioan looked at him for a moment. "Judith seems to think this will be enough to prompt the Daleks into transmatting you up."
Harry nodded. "It is dangerous enough. Though I doubt it could do much to them beyond the local space time."
"TED," Ioan shook his head. "So innocuous."
"Temporal Extinction Device," Harry corrected. "Let's not start using acronyms." Harry said. "We're going to face enough of that when we brief the Navy and Army guys."
Ioan looked to him. "Do we really need to do it?"
"This is a Dalek," Harry pretended to motion at one "shoot here, these are teflon coated bastic bullets etc," Harry said casually. "No one else is as uniquely placed as us," Harry paused. "Aside from UNIT," he added. "Judith and I can do it," Harry paused again. "If you want to continue to pursue the wizarding option."
Ioan nodded. "That many military people..." He trailed off. "Especially none of them knowing anything wizarding," he said. "It'll be a lot to take in," he corrected. "It's still a lot to take in."
Harry nodded.
"You don't have a secret army ready? Old Hogwarts mates?" Ioan asked.
"None that I trust to keep this under wraps until the time is right. Porton Down's modelling suggests we could lose a lot of people if we don't manage this correctly. Panic is a huge killer. Or would be," Harry said, in part to himself, that was his justification in not telling Sarah or Jack. Although the latter was in part because of Torchwood being incapable of dealing with a small terrorist attack in Cardiff. This...this would be bigger and far less containable. Though the variables of each of those they could only barely guess at. "I intend to tell a few people those I can trust to get the word out there."
"As will I Harry."
-/ - \\-
The Thames River was lined with naval ships. Officially they were here rehearsing for the 2012 Olympics, or maybe for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee. Harry had read suggestions it was either or both.
He'd just come from seeing Daphne secure one of her family's ships. He'd warned her of something big and dangerous, but would explain to her and her parents later tonight.
The sailors, Royal Marines and army had already been told the basics, but Baroness Blythe had suggested that LPI's presence to reinforce the dangers in lieu of UNIT would help reinforce what was to be faced.
Why they couldn't trust UNIT was still to be kept a secret. That they planned to blow up the world is something that would be kept a complete secret.
Unless that is they forced their hand. That was Olivia Mansfield talking, for MI6 that sort of knowledge was golden.
"Ready for 'this is a Dalek'?" Judith asked as she walked up to him.
"This is where to shoot, don't ask about poetry?" Harry continued.
"The weapons placements are going in well. They're not going to even try to hide the three phase power connections are they?" Judith indicated the thick cabling that was hooked up to the ships.
Harry shook his head. "Half the weapons tech is barely ready, there's no way we'd be able to power it from the ships alone. Not if we want to try and generate a force shield as well," Harry mused.
Judith sighed. "If you think that'll work," she commented doubtfully.
"Even a directable deflector shield will help," Harry continued. "Not that any of it is ready," he said again exhaling and dragging a hand through his hair.
"One thing at a time. You don't need to throw yourself into the jaws of the nightmare beast quite yet," Judith said and smiled. "You can look forward to that."
Harry nodded. "That's true. There's that to look forward to."
-/ - \\-
"I see why the Ministry would wish to keep this secret," Osric said sitting back into his chair. "You have plans to combat this threat?"
Harry nodded. "We don't know how big this will be, not entirely. But we have plans both large and small," Harry said. He'd got a call as he and Judith were finishing their 'this is how to shoot a Dalek' talks from the Baroness. Somehow she and others had confirmed the larger parts of his and now their secondary plan. The Russians and Americans had come to the party with their orbital attack missiles. With what the UK had as well they might be able to defend the planet. Those two and people within their militaries hadn't forgotten the International Electromatics business, nor had the US forgotten who had been in charge of things when their president had been assassinated. UNIT's grasping at power and control had worked for them and their plans to defend the plane, all the while UNIT was keeping in their back pocket their planet destroying plans. Harry had mentioned it to the Baroness that they really needed to look into how UNIT had persuaded the governments of the world that genocide or multiple planetary genocide was a choice they had the right to make.
"Harry?" Daphne's voice.
"Sorry. Caught in my thoughts," Harry shook his head.
"Should we secure everything elsewhere?" Daphne asked.
Harry nodded. "Secure or hide everything. The attackers won't be interested in anything of yours. I don't think. Nothing wizard. They'll be attacking military facilities and other targets like that." That was what they were planning on at least. The defence forces would be putting out a proper show for the Daleks, old and defunct tech that would make good targets for the Daleks aiming for military targets. The real defence force equipment would be elsewhere.
-/
Later Harry stood out on the balcony, looking out at the night, thinking. He felt Daphne come up behind him.
"How dangerous will this be?"
"The vision of what to come was..." He trailed off. "Things seen and known can't be unseen. Un-known," he said. "Dangerous things..." he trailed off. "Whatever is to come has torn asunder some of seers within the Ministry," He finally said turning to face her. "No one can know this," he said softly looking past her to her parents.
"Not until it's passed?" Daphne asked.
"Ministry secrets. Probably not ever," Harry raised his eyebrows and exhaled. "Dangerous secrets."
"And with the Minister coming up for re-election," Daphne commented idly.
Harry nodded.
"Your plans." Daphne looked at him, pulling him around to look at her. "They will involve great danger for you and your associates?" She asked. Harry didn't say anything. "Great danger for you Harry?"
"Danger I fully intend to survive," Harry said confidently. "I do not have a death wish," he said more firmly. "But yes. I admit my plan does lead me into great, great danger."
"To defend us all." Daphne surmised.
Harry nodded. "We have to ensure our planet is defended. Who else will?"
"Your friend the Doctor?" Daphne wondered. "You revisited him recently."
"My friend the Doctor," Harry repeated.
"Your experiences with those memories, that alternate you, that world ruined," Daphne surmised his thoughts eloquently.
Harry nodded, not saying anything.
"I do not live by that. It informs some of my actions. But I am my own...me Daphne. Otherwise, were I that alternate me Ron very likely would now be dead," Harry said after some time. "The Brigadier, Alistair, always said he prepared for the days that the Doctor wasn't there to help. Harriet Jones did what was necessary to defend this planet. Sometimes we need to be ready to do things ourselves."
"Sometimes friends let us down Harry. But we continue to be their friends," she said calmly.
"Of course," Harry agreed. "But we can't gamble with the possibility that the Doctor will save us this in time on this occasion," He paused. "Otherwise I...we would be just as b-" Harry began to say 'bad' but changed his mind. "Misguided as the Doctor on that devastated Earth," he finally said. "The Doctor will forever be my friend, I would trust him with my life," Harry said. "But I won't trust the lives of everyone else on this planet to him. I don't have that right," he paused. "And nor does he. I don't think a planet's lives can be put in the hands of one man ever, no president, Time Lord or whatever. No one has the right, no government or organisation has a right to make a decision like that."
Daphne looked at him, silent for a while. "You have considered this for some time."
Harry exhaled. He had. Finding out about the Osterhagen Project certainly shaken his faith in the governments of the world, and UNIT. The latter he'd give a year or two. Maybe Kate would help to stop them wanting to blow up the planet. Sometimes too much explosives didn't help.
Certainly not warheads designed to crack the planet. He'd still not found a word to describe what UNIT had decided it'd do with the Osterhagen Project.
What word described multiple genocides? The deaths of everything and everyone on their planet.
It was larger than an extinction level event. You still had a planet at the end of one of those.
"I have," he finally said out loud. "I don't have a death wish," he said again looking at her in the eyes. "I want you to know that."
Daphne looked at him seriously. "I know that Harry. You are the most intense, exciting and wonderful person I have known. That is why I love you. I also understand your urges, your desire to protect and help. I know you are not looking to die. You faced Voldemort's spell, looked into death," she said simply.
Harry impulsively kissed her, surprising her slightly. "Thank you."
-/ - \\-
Harry had considered getting Hermione and Draco to meet him in the same place so he only had to explain all this once. But Draco and Hermione didn't exactly see eye to eye, which was a bit of an understatement. He knew that they could put aside their differences in the right circumstances.
But they weren't in those circumstances quite yet.
Although scheduling two different meetings was becoming difficult.
Unsurprisingly organising a secret response to an attack on their planet that they only knew about because of a prophecy was proving time consuming.
"Just a pot of tea and some privacy thank you," Harry said to the man who'd shown them in.
"Of course sir."
Draco looked around the room appreciatively. "Now this, Harry is how wizards should meet to discuss things of great import."
They were sat in one of the smaller reading rooms of his club that he'd been a member of since the 1970s. No one batted an eye at all when he'd decided to call into the club earlier in the week to see if his membership was still valid. Nor did anyone question how he could have a membership in the 1970s and now and still be basically the same age.
Although the Doctor was also a member so maybe they were used to weirdness.
There was a soft knock on the door. Then after a medium pause their tea was brought in and as quickly and as silently as the man came in he left, closing the door.
Harry gestured his wand at the door, locking it.
"Cautious of being disturbed Harry? What are we to discuss?" Draco asked curiously.
"Well," Harry started.
-/
Draco sipped his tea considering what Harry had told him.
"Who have you trusted with this information?" He asked. "Outside of your League of course?"
"Few. Aside from those I work with, tangential to my League," Harry paused to sip his own cup of tea. Draco was pleased Harry had somewhere civilised to discuss these matters in London. "I'll be telling Hermione later in the day. I didn't think you'd appreciate having me tell you both at the same time."
Draco smirked. "No, thank you Harry. Just because we are friends does not mean we should share our other friendships."
"Merlin no," Harry exclaimed. "I'm sure there's plenty of your chums I wouldn't get along with."
"Perhaps. They are however far less interesting to know," Draco admitted. "Only Granger?"
"My list of people who I can trust to keep something like this secret and secure is somewhat short. There are few people who know me well enough to understand what is meant by a prophecy and that I have other sources backed it up," Harry explained.
"And you do not trust Weasley?" Draco asked curiously.
"After the Bluestone incident I'm not sure if he's in a position to be of use in this situation," Harry said simply.
Draco nodded and wondered if Wealsey was still in a position of power would Harry have gone to him regardless of his capabilities but because he was in a position of power?
He asked that of Harry, curious of his response.
"I don't know. After some of my recent conversations with him I'm not sure. I'm trying to re-kindle what we once had," he admitted.
"What is it you expect of me Harry? I do not live as dangerously as you. Nor wish to," Draco said simply.
Harry chuckled. "I don't expect you to go out there fighting them. We expect them to attack the cities."
"Where the larger population is," Draco mused.
Harry nodded. "Inform whomever you trust not to get panicked by this. Defend yourself and those around you, and them do the same. Preserve as much life and infrastructure as we can. If this all goes pear shaped then we'll need that."
Draco considered this. "Very well, and if I or one of my associates is confronted by our attackers what then?"
"Blasting curses. Eye piece at the top. Central plate here between the gun and manipulator arm," Harry said pulling out a folded muggle piece of paper. It was not parchment but white muggle paper that showed it had been folded and unfolded multiple times recently. "The eye is vulnerable. Or was in the past," he admitted. "They can hover and move over almost any surface," he said. "Do whatever you think best to kill or destroy them."
"The killing curse?" Draco asked curiously. "You are quite capable with it."
Harry leaned back into the chair. "They have a life support system within the shell. That," he pointed at the page. "Is just the shell. There's a living creature within. Protected," he paused in thought. "I'm not sure what a killing curse would do. I wouldn't waste your concentration or breath on it."
"I understand," Draco said finishing his cup of tea and replacing it and the saucer on the table. "That was most refreshing Harry. We must come here more often," Draco paused.
Harry fixed him with a look. "Don't say 'should we survive this coming disaster'."
"Why would I say something as crass as that Harry?" Draco wondered.
Harry laughed.
-/ - \\-
"And what do you expect me to do with this information Harry Potter?" Harry knew Hermione was pissed off with him. Especially when she used his whole name. He'd asked to come to her lodgings, just because he'd thought it'd be easier than meeting somewhere. It was also early evening by the time he'd got to see her after cancelling twice.
"I'm telling you this because I'm sure you know what would happen if all of wizarding or regular society found out. I think you're intelligent enough to know that I would only tell you if I thought you understood that and had some semblance of an idea of what to do, now that you know." Harry reasoned with her.
"Who else have you told? Outside of the League of Paranormal Investigations and I assume some people within the government who have given you the go ahead with whatever dangerous plan you are pursuing Harry?"
Harry wondered if Hermione would like to know that Draco asked him almost the exact same questions.
He decided probably not. "People I trust."
"Daphne and Malfoy," she surmised simply.
Harry smiled but didn't say anything further. "And now you."
Hermione looked at him annoyed. "How can you calmly tell me this and be working with them Harry the Daleks?" Hermione looked at him hard. "Don't tell me you think I'd forgotten about that!"
Harry shook his head. "It's complicated."
"Explain it then," Hermione challenged.
Honestly, he couldn't. "Time travel is involved. The Daleks I have an agreement with are from what might be termed as the future relative to when we are at this moment." Probably. Harry mentally added to himself. He didn't know how these Daleks fit into his association with the colourful Daleks. But he did know that the Eternal had warned him about what was going to happen, which suggested at least there was some sort of different Dalek factions going on. Like what happened during the Shoreditch Incident.
Hermione didn't let up on her gaze on him. "That's not a good enough explanation Harry."
"I have a good source that would suggest that the Daleks you saw me interacting with are not the ones that will be part of this incursion," he explained.
"How do you know that Harry?" She challenged.
"Because of my past knowledge of them," he said simply. "I did not enter into my agreement with them lightly Hermione and it is very much in my favour. They are useful, and dangerous. Their timeline is also long, complicated and contradictory. Just because this will probably happen and my agreement with them exists does not mean the two are connected," Harry explained in an exasperated tone. He had not considered he'd need to discuss Dalek history and the state of their timeline with Hermione today.
Hermione was silent for a while before finally exhaling in exasperation. "Harry I don't know what you expect me to do, I suppose you don't want me telling the Ministry?" She asked.
Harry shook his head. "No. I want you to stay safe. This isn't the old DA sort of situation. The government will soon start enacting measures to keep people out of the cities and at home when all this kicks off."
"'Measures'?" Hermione narrowed her eyes at him. "What sort of 'measures'?"
Harry shrugged. "Nothing untoward. Engineered fuel shortages, tube strikes, maintenance work, that sort of thing. All in the name of saving lives," he said simply, they would be ensuring there were as few people in the cities as possible.
"All in the name of saving lives," she repeated. "These were the government's ideas?"
Harry nodded. "I'm not sure if I'd have come up with all these minor social engineering and control ideas."
Then Hermione asked a question that Draco hadn't thought to ask. But Hermione had, probably because she'd been looking into things in further detail, what he and LPI did, the whole thing. He did wonder when Hermione had time to do this. "What of UNIT, isn't this the sort of thing they're meant to deal with? Rather than you and the government doing it secretly?"
Harry looked at her neutrally. "UNIT has chosen a path to deal with these sorts of situations that puts it at odds with the United Kingdom's response," he explained in a neutral tone.
"And that means Harry?" Hermione asked him.
"That's all I can tell you," he said honestly.
Hermione watched him for several moments before rising to put the kettle back on. In the time they had been talking it had gone cold.
"Fine Harry. You have your secrets," she said. "I do understand the need to keep some things like this secret," she sighed smiling at him. "I just wish it wasn't necessary."
"As do I Hermione." He rose from his chair, but he wasn't sure he could tell Hermione this, what the Ministry did. He wasn't even sure how he felt about it. "I don't wish to cause panic, anywhere."
Hermione made to open her mouth to retort him.
"'Forewarned is forearmed?'" He challenged her. She nodded annoyed that he'd pre-empted her. "Modelling suggests if we went public with this it would cause far more deaths and destruction."
"Modelling by the government?" Hermione wondered again.
Harry nodded, more or less that was right.
"Very well Harry, I'll be oblique with the people I trust that I've worked with. For you and your secrets," Hermione said finally.
"Not my secrets," Harry countered.
"You're the one holding them Harry," Hermione said carefully.
Harry was silent for several moments unsure what else he could say to defend or explain his actions and choices thus far.
-/ - \\-
A/N:
Minor edit done June 2021.
Professor Hawksburn I never gave a first name until now. I found it odd there were very few female names that begin with Q.
I forgot to mention when Olivia Mansfield first appeared but she's not another original character. Not entirely. She's inspired by M from James Bond. Although James probably doesn't exist in this universe.
Harry was going to have a meeting with the Queen, as it's him leading this and they are pretending the ships on the Thames are there for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee. During the meeting there would have been more vague references to his meeting George VI and the Queen Consort Elizabeth. I cut it because it wouldn't have added anything meaningful to the chapter. I'll leave what happened during that time to when I write the adventures of Harry, Draco and the Shalka Doctor.
Sarah Jane Smith and her son Luke, both of The Sarah Jane Adventures appear together here, along with Clyde and Mr Smith. I couldn't quite justify bringing in anyone else from The SJA for a brief cameo appearance in this chapter. The things that the SJA team deal with and what LPI deal with are somewhat worlds apart at the moment.
I did consider having Hermione and Draco in the same scene for the explanations to save a bit of writing, but it plays out better to have them separate.
Next chapter, into the lair of the Daleks, the invasion of Earth...by the Daleks, and all that stuff around it. It will be beneficial if you've seen The Stolen Earth / Journey's End more than once going into next chapter.
Thanks for reading.
