"Are you sure about this, Colonel?"
Jack nodded.
"Yes, sir. This is how they're coming."
"From your fireplace…?"
Hammond sounded dubious, but Jack couldn't really blame him. He would never have believed it if he hadn't done it himself.
They were all gathered around Jack's living room, watching the fireplace, which wasn't lit – since it was late June and there wasn't any reason for it to be. And more for it not to be, really, since Jack wasn't so positive about having someone use floo powder and arriving into his fireplace with a roaring fire already lit.
"Yes, sir."
"I know it sounds incredible, General Hammond," Daniel said. "Believe me, I hardly believed it myself until I did it."
"They're coming down the chimney?"
Jack snorted, but Sam spoke up before he could say something to get himself in trouble.
"They come from another fireplace, sir," she explained. "It's all networked. Like computers."
"Only these transport people," Jack said. "You'll see."
He definitely would. Which was the whole point of him being there. He wanted to see how this worked – and wanted to make sure that whatever the wizard world wanted with Jack O'Neill and the others, it wasn't something serious. He was tired of the wizard world already – and he'd only known they were real for a short time.
"I-"
Before Hammond could say anything further, there was a sudden flash from the fireplace and a poof of ash. Before he could react to that, a figure suddenly tumbled out of the fireplace and sprawled on the floor.
"Harry!"
Daniel reached out and pulled the boy to his feet, and Harry grinned at him as he pulled his glasses out of his pocket and put them on.
"Hi, Daniel."
He looked behind him, moving a little out of the way, and an instant later another form came tumbling from the fireplace – this time in a controlled roll. The newcomer sprang to his feet, smiling as he looked around, and Hammond decided that the smile broadened when the man saw Sam Carter standing there. Sure enough, he reached his hand out to her, first.
"Sam! It's good to see you again."
Sam smiled, taking his hand. Sirius Black was a handsome man with a warm smile, and she genuinely liked him.
"It's good to see you again, Sirius."
Sirius nodded, and turned to Jack, who was scowling – probably without even realizing he was doing it.
"Jack. It's good to see you again, too. Thanks for letting us come."
Jack shook Sirius' hand with a slight smile taking the place of the scowl.
"You said it was important…"
"Important, but not serious," Black said. "How have you been?"
"Fine." Jack looked over at Harry, and now his smile was warmer. "How are you, Harry?"
Potter smiled, too, but Hammond decided the boy looked nervous.
"Hi, Jack."
"This is my boss, General Hammond," Jack said, introducing them. "General, this is Harry."
"I've heard a lot about you, Harry," Hammond said, smiling a welcome at the boy.
"And read even more?" Sirius asked, slyly.
Hammond nodded.
"I have granddaughters who are hooked on the books, yes."
"They're not exactly the truth…" Harry said, embarrassed.
"I know. I've heard all about it."
"He had to," Jack explained.
Harry nodded. He knew all about General Hammond from his conversations with Jack.
"I know."
"But it is a pleasure to meet you," Hammond said. "And to see you again, Mr. Black."
"Sirius, please…" Sirius said, quickly.
"We were curious what's going on…" Jack said.
"Is Voldemort causing you problems already?" Teal'c asked.
Harry and Sirius both shook their heads.
"It's nothing like that," Sirius said. "We just… need a favor – and didn't know who else to ask."
"What kind of favor?" Jack asked, curiously.
"Um…" Now it was Harry who spoke, stepping forward. "I was hoping you'd… um…" he trailed off, uncertain.
"You were hoping I'd what?" Jack asked, wondering what in the world Harry could need from him that he couldn't get from someone in the wizard world.
"I was wondering… if you'd be willing to teach me how to drive?"
There was a surprised silence in the room. Which was immediately followed by a sense of relief. That wasn't serious! Despite Sirius' assurances, Hammond was certain it was going to be something that spelled bad news for the SGC – and SG-1 in particular. But he did have to wonder why Harry would ask O'Neill out of all the other people he knew.
"Can't your uncle teach you?" he asked, speaking before he remembered that Harry's uncle Vernon was hardly someone who would be willing to teach his least favorite relative anything of the kind. Especially since the books made it clear they definitely didn't get along.
Harry shook his head, but Sirius spoke, putting his hand on the boy's shoulder.
"He wouldn't – even if Harry asked, which I won't let him."
"He'd as soon teach me to play with poisonous darts," Harry said, wryly, well beyond being upset at the awful relationship that he had with his only living relatives.
"What about someone in the wizard world?" Daniel asked. "Surely one of them could-"
"We fly brooms, Daniel," Sirius said. "Harry wants to learn to drive a car."
"It won't take long, Jack," Harry said, quickly. "Just enough to get the basics down. I'll figure the rest out on my own when I get-"
"Harry…" Jack said, holding his hand up to stop the boy. "I don't have a problem teaching you to drive…"
He was almost looking forward to it, really. It was something he would have eventually taught Charlie, after all, and Harry was pretty much the closest thing Jack had to a son - at least at the moment.
"But you guys don't drive on the right side of the road…" Sam pointed out.
"And don't you have to wait until you're eighteen to get a license over there?" Daniel asked.
"I can get a provisional license at 17," Harry said. "And I can drive on the other side of the road fine – once I know how to do it in the first place."
Jack looked at Hammond, who shrugged. He was just relieved it wasn't anything serious.
"Take a day – or two – and teach him, Colonel. Use the empty airfield at the Air Force Academy until he has it down enough to go out on the roads… I'll make a couple of calls."
Jack nodded, and smiled at Harry.
"Okay. I'll teach you."
Harry's smile lit up his green eyes.
"Thanks, Jack."
