Night had fallen over the lush, dry countryside and the party, which had been shortly disrupted hours earlier, was back in full swing. To the immense relief of the hosts. The children were already fighting with their tiredness as they were awake longer than usual to celebrate the birthday of the boy-who-lived. Some families, mainly those she had invited on a whim, had already left.
Everyone knew that the last thing planned for today would be the extensive fireworks accompanied with loud classical music. Yet none of their attention was focused on the growing shadows along the hedges and the fence.
Yet what was causing these ominous slowly growing shadows? Brown and greyish muddy stones slowly gained height, shivered and morphed into small innocent Angel statues in old Greek garments who held their hands protectively in front of their eyes and kept growing.
The first firework erupted causing shouts of delight by the watching crowd and Vivaldi's Summer started to blare from the magical loudspeakers accompanying the varied display of fireworks.
Harriet was sitting on the edge of her balcony, with her back against the wall, the Sirius Wand in her right hand while watching the display intently through her stolen binoculars. Every moment now.
There a child was pulling her mother's robes anxiously pointing towards one of the angels that were very slowly closing in on the group of people.
There another one had realized that someone was moving in. And another one. A few of the kids whimpered. At least it looked like that, judging from their expressions.
Harriet concentrated and pointed Sirius Wand at the Music box in the garden, stopping the recording of Vivaldi's Four seasons. Instead there was eerie silence, hollow laughter and confused faces of the guests. When her father stepped away from the crowd to check on the Music box, the final piece of her preparation fell into place.
"You're all in terrible danger." A hollow voice could be heard from all the speakers.
"What in Merlin's name?" she heard her father exclaim seeing that there wasn't a different recording in it. "Who are you and what do you want!"
Harriet snickered at her father's face.
"My name is of no importance, but you will soon have vanished if you don't listen to me" the hollow voice admonished him, while the fireworks were still erupting in the night sky. But the faces of everyone downstairs were showing small traces of fear.
"The lonely assassins they used to be called." The disembodied voice sighed gravelly. "Nobody quite knows where they came from, but there as old as the universe or very nearly. And they have survived this long because they have the best defence system ever evolved."
"What are you talking about? Show yourself!" Her father bellowed while Sirius, Remus and Arthur were scanning the area.
"You are not listening to me, young man." The hollow voice answered and laughed at him. "Do you want to be responsible for the deaths of everyone on your grounds?"
"They are Quantum-locked. Which means that they only exist when they aren't being observed. The moment anyone looks at them they freeze into rock. It's in their nature. Literally, when they are observed they turn into stone." The voice paused. "And you can't kill a stone." Harriet could hear a collective gasp and whimpers from some children.
"Of course, a stone, can't kill you either, but then you turn your head away or simply blink… and then…" the voice left the suggestion open. "It's up to you now, they are coming for you, for all of you."
"Who is coming? What are we supposed to do?!" James shouted turning in all directions and was mimicked by the other frightened guests guests,.
"The Weeping Angels, to feast on your Magic. They are coming, so don't blink!"
The lights flickered and went out, causing people to shriek and they went back on again causing another terrified scream from the guests when they spotted the advancing angels.
The lights flickered and surrendered to darkness again causing people to yell, some used their wands to have some light. The lights went back on and the angels had made significant headway. A few adults where chaotically shooting spells at them and had to duck down as they were deflected from the angel's surface.
The lights went out again and the same procedure was repeated and when the lights went back on Harriet could spot children clinging to their parents and her brother was desperately clinging to their mother with tears rolling down his round face. The angels know were not covering their hands any longer and the time between darkness and light became shorter and more hastily.
Whenever the light came back on their faces became more sinister, more monster like with sharp teeth and more pronounced features and stretched their hands towards the huddled group of guests with their parents trying to defend their children. But it was useless. Just as the darkness returned for the last time, in which the Angels must have reached the group, the entire group of guests yelled, screamed and wailed in fear as the angels reached and touched them with their cold hands only to disintegrate back into the transformed dirt.
The lights went back on and Harriet could hear a collective gasp of relief, when the people realized that they were still alive and well.
Well, that was it. If she was lucky then nobody would show up for her brother's next birthday party after that little stunt. She grinned, but it fell, when she saw her father's enraged face looking at her general direction. He couldn't possibly have figured it out. They couldn't possibly know that it had been her. After all, they had always accused her of not having magic.
How wrong she had been.
Harry was running later than usual thanks to her assignment, which was supervised by Commander Vanto.
Adding more strain to her workload: Her duties as Midshipman, her diligent research for Thrawn's assignment, which caused some stir on the destroyer, the therapies with the two stormtroopers suffering from PTSD and Baila, her language, history and battle techniques tutoring with Commander Vanto, and her own training to stay fit and healthy. It was exhausting to always be around people. Vanto had commented on her slicing the files of those that had committed suicide. Especially, when Thrawn had already cleared them for her. Something that she had overlooked. And he had told her that there had been one too many complaints about her behaviour already because of her questioning techniques of the peers that had worked with the suicides. Especially, as she had not adhered to the different ranks and continued her relentless questioning. She had then patiently explained that the files were not enough as she had to categorize the suicides for her report and for that she had needed the input of their peers.
Harry knew all the horrendous words she was already called behind her back, but she was used to it. At least her past had prepared her for that. She just wanted to do her job and prevent more suicides. Even the doctors in the hospital deck were groaning every time they saw her and tried to evade her. They could certainly try. She grinned. But she was as tenacious as a leech, knew how to use NLP and had magic at her hands. They had no chance.
But she also was now known to be the person to go to when somebody was suspected of planning to commit suicide. That's why she was running late now. Baila had dragged another female tech to her cot and Harry had evaluated her state, causing her to miss breakfast and her daily haircut. But she was now certain that the other tech was going through a depressed phase but was not in an immediate danger. But, just like Baila she had made her promise that if she took a turn to the worse she had to come to her first.
Harry took a deep breath and prepared herself for another tediously boring 12-hour shift in the crew pit. It was mindlessly boring. She sighed. That was probably why she loved her special assignments better as it challenged her, and she loved to be challenged.
The turbolift stopped at the bridge and Harry stepped out, took a few steps towards the crew pits and stopped confused. They were still in hyperspace and apart from her ensign and Commander Faro, she knew none of the others here. They didn't even look like the personal working in the former shift. What had she missed? The bridge also seemed livelier than usual. She couldn't be on another Ship, could she be? Her heartbeat accelerated. Had she accidently apparated? Had she gotten the time confused? She checked her chronometer. Nope. It was the time of her shift.
But where was her crew? Before anyone could say anything or wonder why she was rooted in one place, she quickly caught herself and climbed down to the pit and presented herself to her Ensign.
"What are you doing here, Midshipman Potter?" she snarled at her, but Harry didn't flinch. She was used to the way her Ensign addressed those serving under her.
"Working my shift as usual, Sir." She answered calmly.
"Your presence is not required at the moment, Midshipman." Ensign Danti told her stepping closer threateningly. "The combat crew is the only crew necessary in the next few hours. So, leave the bridge and wait for further instructions."
Harry nodded in understanding. "And where exactly should I wait for further instructions, Sir?
"At the duty stations, of course. Understood, Midshipman?" Danti hissed angrily and Harry nodded calmly, while observing her superiors angry pulsing vain on her temple. She's afraid of the battle!
"Understood, Sir."
She turned on her heels and ascended back up and passed the scanner station to reach the turbolift again. Well, she knew what she would use her additional time for. Mentally creating a list of priorities, she could work off until she was called back to duty.
The battle, she hoped, which would probably mark the end of the pirates in this sector, would not cause too many deaths around her. She dreaded the possibility of feeling further deaths around her. She had not felt the suicides, but a high death toll would surely be felt by her. Lost in thoughts she barely registered that the doors hissed open and as she stepped in.
She froze - and hastily jumped back, standing attention without hindering the Fleet commander to step out of the lift. Phew. That had been a close encounter. She had almost walked directly into him. A few centimetres had separated them.
"Apologies, Sir." She apologized feeling her face heat up in embarrassment.
"None required, Midshipman Potter." replied soothingly, scrutinizing her, while other officers flocked out of the lift behind him. "Why are you not at your station?" he enquired calmly with his deep and cultivated voice.
Harry fiddled uncomfortably with her hands behind her back. What the hell is going on? Why should I be at my station, when the combat crew is there?
"Because Ensign Danti ordered me to wait with the rest of my shift crew below at the duty stations and await further instructions." She answered him, blending out the scrutinizing eyes boring into hers.
"Nonsense." He remarked partly turning towards the direction of the crew pits. "You've recently studied Clone Wars battle strategies with Commander Vanto, have you not?" he asked turning back towards her.
"Yes, Sir." She answered nodding hesitantly, wondering where he was going with this.
"Then, I think it best if you returned to your station to observe and perhaps assist the combat crew. Some of the manoeuvres might be familiar to you from your battle studies and simulations" Thrawn replied calmly gesturing towards the crew pit. There was no mistake. She was ordered to remain on the bridge.
"Yes, Sir." She turned and reluctantly returned to her crew pit as Thrawn dismissed her. Ensign Danti would probably chew her alive, when she saw her come back. She could have sworn that the ambitious woman was able to spit fire sometimes.
Almost inaudible she heard Thrawn address Commander Vanto and she froze mid-step down the pit. It seemed that the blue skinned commander was able to see through her enchantment hiding her long-braided hair and asked his aide for confirmation. Vanto murmured back that he only saw short hair. That was problematic, and she had to remind herself to continue climbing down the steps into the pit. Another problem added to her ever-growing list.
"Are you deaf, by any chance or mentally incapacitated?" the woman snapped at her darkly when Harry presented herself again. "I gave you a direct order!"
Harry winced at her tone but tried to remain calm. Especially as the other women almost seemed hysterical.
"You did, but Grand Admiral Thrawn ordered me to return to my station to observe and assist the Combat Crew if necessary."
"Assist, what could you possibly do to assist?" the women scoffed dismissively. "Alright, if the Grand Admiral wills it, then so be it, but as soon as you're in the way, then your out, understood?" Harry swore that the other women was grumbling something under hear breath which sounded similarly like 'Thrawn's pet.' She shook her head at that. She was no one's pet.
"Yes, Sir." Harry nodded not knowing what to do with herself. She knew nobody of the crew and someone was already sitting at her station throwing her an angry glare as soon as she approached him. As she stood strategically next to her station she surveyed the pit and realized that apart from Ensign Danti she was the only other female there. The Combat crew also wore different uniforms, which indicated that they were not conscripts and clearly had been trained in an imperial academy and were of higher rank than her. They were all Ensigns. So, the chain of command could be problematic. So, what was she doing here? She was completely out of place.
"All units signal ready, Admiral," the tactical officer on duty informed Thrawn. Harry had no idea what the plan was, but she assumed that everyone on the bridge had been prepped beforehand.
"Excellent," she heard Grand Admiral Thrawn reply, his voice glacially as he swept over the central walkway.
"Incoming!" Senior Lieutenant Kelby called from the sensor station.
"Numerous craft, incoming from behind the outer moon. Incoming on our starboard-aft quarter, moving on attack vectors.
"Identification: 24 SS-54 Assault ships, 12 Flarestar-Class Attack shuttles and 15 Trident Drill Assault crafts and 23 Correllian Cargo Freighters. "
Harry gaped. That were a lot of ships and it seemed that Grand Admiral Thrawn's patience had indeed paid off. They just had to catch them.
St. Mungos
It was late afternoon in London and Draco was on edge. The Wizarding world had closed itself off the Muggle world a few days ago and many Muggleborns had simply disappeared as they had not wanted to separate from their families or let go off their only defensive power: Magic. That meant that they were no hunted down by Aurors and had to hide their powers from the empire as Augusta Longbottom, had with the help of the Quibbler leaked to them that the empire had apparently Magic Hunters, who were called Inquisitors.
In the last month Astoria's health had unfortunately deteriorated rapidly as she had become paler than usual, had trouble standing for a longer time or walking up the dozens of stairs found in their manor, and had needed to rest more often. Their son naturally, who for some reason wasn't as close to his mother as it would be natural, had been the first to realize that something was wrong with her. He barely had let go of her and had cuddled more, knowing full well that that was something that Astoria normally didn't like. But more astonishingly she had accepted it and even let their son sleep next to her at night.
The entire family was now waiting in a conference room for results of Astoria's condition. His father had already said that he would spare no expense to make sure that his daughter in law would become healthy again. But creepily enough, Scorpius had sadly told him that he could sense that his mother would leave them soon.
Nobody in the family could explain what was going on with his son. Lucius and Narcissa were convinced that he was a seer, but it didn't always fit. Yes, he seemed to sense some things, but the way he phrased his sentences, it implied that the things were happening at the same moment he became aware of it. And what puzzled Draco personally was that Scorpius continued to draw pictures connected to his former lover. The setting of those strange dagger shaped ships changed. Once he had drawn a picture of a dark-haired female, which Narcissa had interpreted as either her dead sister Bellatrix or Andromeda. She had hoped that it would mean that she would make up with her estranged sister.
But Scorpius informed her that if she wanted to make up with his aunt then she would need to take the first step and that this woman was bright and beautiful and was called Harry. Why did he only draw her? Why not anyone else? He was drawing her now again, but she was standing opposite to a blue person and red eyes? Maybe Scorpius just imagined it. Children at that age had a vast imagination after all.
His mother was sitting calmly next to his father on the bench and held his hand, clearly hoping the best for Astoria while conversing with the Greengrass family, his parents-in-law.
The door opened, and one Medi-witch and a healer entered solemnly, causing the entire family to jump up. "Will she be alright?" Walpurga Greengrass asked with shaking hands.
"I believe it's best if you all sit back down again." The healer answered earnestly and curiously everyone sat back down. Scorpius stopped his drawing, put his crayons down and calmly listened to them.
"We have found that Mrs. Astoria Malfoy is carrying a genetic related-blood curse, which came into effect a few years ago and which now starts to show its toll on her body. Have you been aware of a curse like that?" the Healer asked addressing the Greengrass family and Lucius' face had turned furious, clearly thinking that he had been betrayed in the marriage negotiations.
"How many years ago?" Lucius asked coolly with a dangerous edge in his voice and Narcissa put her hand onto his to calm him down.
"Considering her condition, we assume that it was about two or three years ago." The healer answered professionally.
Lucius calmed down somewhat. So, she hadn't had the condition before her marriage to his son.
Frederic Greengrass gulped hesitantly and answered with slightly shaking voice:" Our family did have a dark blood curse in our blood, but my grandfather beseeched it. There was no indication that we would still carry it."
The Medi-witch nodded in understanding and explained:
"Yes, our research into our hospital files on your family corroborates this, but a genetic blood curse, that has been beseeched can lie dormant and inactive, until it is reactivated. Most pureblood families nowadays are carriers of such curses. Can you imagine how or why it was reactivated?"
The Greengrass sat and wracked their minds as far as Draco could see and his parents didn't look as murderous anymore.
"No, unfortunately I have no idea. I even do not know exactly how that curse came into our family line. Only rumours." The elder Greengrass answered with quivering voice. "What can we do to treat it again?"
"There are a few options that we could try. Firstly, we could try to find out everything about the original caster of the blood curse and find a direct descendant, asking to reverse and lift it entirely. Secondly, we can find out, how your grandfather beseeched it and lay it dormant again. The third option would be to find out the reason why it has been reactivated and lay it dormant again." The mousy haired Medi-witch informed them.
"Could the curse have been reactivated by someone from the original caster's descent or from someone else?" Narcissa asked contemplating all options.
"That's a tricky question." The blond dark-blond healer answered stroking his chin. "From my knowledge it could be both. It is possible that someone descending from the original caster's line could have been unaware of it's ancestor's cast and repeated it and in so doing reactivating it. Or it could be a curse from a new caster, who might have felt slighted at something that has been done and cast a curse and it reactivated it. In that case it could also be possible that the Curse was reactivated if Mrs. Astoria Malfoy has done something similar than the person, who first received the curse."
"That's ridiculous." Walpurga Greengrass defended her daughter. "Astoria wouldn't hurt a fly." Narcissa nodded in agreement.
"That's not true." Scorpius cut in explaining. "Maman (=French for Mum), hit a large fat fly once, which wanted to sit down on my nasty green spinach, because she was afraid that it could carry diseases."
Draco snorted amused at his son and heard the two healers and his parents do the same.
"Very clever. Which brings me to your son, Mr. Malfoy." The healer addressed Draco. "As this disease is hereditary, there is a fifty-fifty chance of him carrying it. It doesn't mean that it will break out if he's carrying it, but as the curse has been activated there is a high chance that it would, should he carry it."
"But I'm not carrying it." the young child protested. "I'm healthy." He stretched out his tongue to prove this. "See, I'm quite well."
But Draco was feeling nauseous as his heart raced as if it wanted to jump out of his chest. Astoria being ill, was bad enough, but loosing his only son was even worse.
"Alright." Draco conceded taking the incentive. "Frederic, you research the original curse and find out how your grandfather beat it, Walpurga, you talk with Astoria to find out what might have triggered it again. Mother, Father, you search our library. Maybe there is something written in our Malfoy Annales, that could be a reference to the Curse. I'll stay with Scorpius during his examination. That way we cover as much ground as possible."
The entire bridge was buzzing with activity. The bridge lit up with flickers of green light as turbolaser bolts were shot outward toward the incoming ships. Several had already been disabled and their escape pods had been used, but as hard and predictable these pirates fought, they were unable to penetrate Thrawn's blockade because of the two interdictors. Orders were forwarded back and forth, information was exchanged and as the Grand Admiral had predicted Harry was drawn into assisting the Combat crew in her pit, when she had discovered an irregularity.
Something in the information flow had not fitted into what was apparently going on outside. At least not according the numbers on the screen. When she had pointed it out to the man working her station he had dismissed it at first, but she had stood her ground and pointed it out again. And she could not begrudge the man. It did look like a fluke in the numbers, but this fluke was a bit too regular. He had relayed the information to Senior Lieutenant Kelby, who had scanned the designated area according to the numbers on her station but had come up empty. "It's a fluke, there is nothing there." He said.
"There it is again." Harry murmured and the man next to her nodded. "Sir, Midshipman Potter is correct. Something is approaching the Interdictor Captivus ."
Senior Lieutenant Kelby scanned again and complained:" But there is nothing there."
"Recalibrate the scanners to search for reflective layers. Relay the orders to both our interdictors." Grand Admiral Thrawn ordered calmly from the central walkway.
So far, the battle was quite straightforward, with the pirates having tried to break through the blockade without any fancy manoeuvres. It seemed more that they were relying on stealth and endurance. Although they were taking heavy fire from the destroyers and the TIEs they did not return to the surface. A few ships had already gone up in flames. It was as if they were waiting for something.
A second later Senior Lieutenant informed Thrawn:" Oh! Your're correct. There is a single camouflaged fighter approaching the Captivus, Sir."
"Disable and capture it." came the clipped answer from their commander, which was swiftly fulfilled and as the fighter was hit and disabled its camouflage stopped working and was dropped, making it visible to all the ships. "
As soon as the enemy ships realized that their plan had failed they turned and set course back to the surface of the desert moon below and the TIEs were pulled back to their Destroyers. Thrawn established contact with the leaders on the surface and offered them clemency and a fair trial if they surrendered.
The Weequay Leader with thick, leathery skin and lipless face with a frill along his jowl declined angrily:
"Yeh think we're stupid, Bluey. A so-called fair trial by the empire ends in an execution for us. So, no. You want us? Come and get us, red eyes." He rasped with his deep and gravel voice.
"So be it." Their blue skinned commander inclined his head at the hologram.
It was over, the pirate ships had all been destroyed from orbit and the pirates, which had survived had been captured by the deployed ground troops. Harry was finally allowed to take over her station again and sit down, while her team had been ordered to come back up to the bridge to relieve the combat crew.
Her hands flew over the display and she logged herself in but stopped shortly when she spotted something in the edge of her vision. She turned her head to the right and stared right into the grey eyes of a small toddler with pale blond hair. Her heart constricted. She was losing it. It looked like a miniature version of ... No, I'm not thinking about that now!
She shook herself and turned back. When she snuck a glance the child was gone, while the man, who had operated the station before her was hovering behind her. One by one her crew came back filing into the crew pit and took over their respective workstations, glaring at her.
"You know, Midshipman." The brown-haired Ensign, who had worked her station before said. "That wasn't so bad. You're welcome to work with us anytime." He patted her shoulder.
"Thank you, Sir." Harry awkwardly thanked him as he nodded and followed his crewmembers.
Well, what do you think? Would love to hear your guesses and predictions. Some of your suggestions in the comments are not that far off my planned out plotline. I'm writing probably a bit too predictable in my writing, so I might throw you a few curveballs.