Organizations: the meeting of minds

Hermione knew that some things she did in the Wandering Days (she honestly didn't like calling it that but Felicia, in all the dramatics of a budding historian, wouldn't be budged.) would have repercussions that would come back to bother her. After all, her other siblings had other quirks that showed up after wandering around for so long.

Luna's hands and eyes continuously catalogued all plants she came across, as though she was afraid of running out. Draco's ears were so unbelievably sensitive that nobody shouted near him of possible. It certainly explained his constant bad temper. And Heather was never unarmed. The minimum number of daggers on her person was ten, and that was when she was at home and as unguarded as she could possibly be.

Jointly, all of them hated to be confined. All of their offices required to have really large windows or was painted off-white to give the illusion of freedom. That one probably came even before the Wandering Days, because of the war, but that was beside the point.

The point was, she did not expect Prince Legolas to be the first to confront her on the runes she left in the Northern Forest. She expected it to be Steward Denethor, for the runes of cleanliness and freshness she etched in their wells. Or one of the Rohirrim for the runes she scratched on their stable walls for vitality and health. She really should stop putting elves's personalities in boxes. They, after all, constantly surprised her.

"Those runes, huh," Hermione managed slowly. "That's a long story. From before Saldia."

Legolas gave a slightly stiff nod. She was familiar with the gesture and knew him to be uncomfortable. It was the work of a second to send a thought to Kreacher for tea and cookies. Most people wouldn't have noticed and it was a credit to the level of Legolas's perception when he did. He stiffened slightly before forcing himself to relax in his chair. Hermione gave him a mental point of approval.

"Make yourself comfortable," she said softly, gesturing to the tray.

After a moment's deliberation, he did.

Hermione had two options – well, technically three, but she wasn't going to obliviate an elf. There was no Statute of Secrecy here, only the restrictions that they placed on themselves. Logical restrictions with perfectly good reasons. There was, after all, still a Dark Lord in Arda. They weren't about to place all their eggs in one basket.

The other two options…One was a cowards way out of denial and the other required bravery. Denial would be logical but there was a reason the Sorting Hat placed her in Gryffindor and not in Ravenclaw.

"We don't come from this world," Hermione started, immediately dropping the biggest secret. Best to get it out of the way first. "We escaped to this world after we did our duty. Things were terrible there, and we were only children."

The room suddenly felt confining and suffocating, the air heavy to breathe in.

Hermione took several gulps of air to calm herself because it would clear the anger from her mind. Legolas was watching her with wide eyes, looking startled.

"They gave children their responsibility. The legacy we inherited was war," Hermione continued. "We did our duty and they still wanted more. So we left and we came to this world and you cannot understand how beautiful we found this world.

"We wanted to see everything and to forget what we left. So we wandered for years, separately and rarely together. Then I stumbled into the Northern Woods and I felt the terrible darkness leeching into it. The effects could be seen by the mutation of the animals into dark creatures and the forest itself turned angry."

Legolas spoke and interrupted for the first time since he sat down. "We felt that," he said. "But it did not last long. We had to clean up very large spiders for months afterwards."

She nodded. "There are two forests like that in our world. Both of them were old and beautiful. One was tainted by a Dark Lord and it resulted in terrible things. Once could no longer travel there without death lingering over you. I wanted to prevent that from happening, a repetition of something we could prevent, you see."

Legolas was quiet and his golden blonde head was bowed in contemplation. Hermione would have been a nervous wreck if a part of her mind wasn't racing to make counter-arguments to possible arguments or questions he could make.

(Another part of her mind wondered what would be the next trinket Elladan would send her. One bit of her mind was always attuned to him.

Ugh! Courtship! How annoying and embarrassing.)

And finally, he raised his head and Hermione's small knot of unease vanished.

Prince Legolas wasn't smiling but there was gratitude and appreciation shining on his face. If Hermione wasn't used to how beautiful Draco was, she'd have been staggered by how beautiful and luminescent Legolas was when he dropped that polite mask.

"Thank you," he whispered. "What you have done has saved so many lives. I name you and your family to be elf-friends."

How would Heather react? Hermione thought as her mind raced. She knew she was socially awkward. Her formative years consisted of a lot of bullying and Hogwarts was a yearly struggle to stay alive.

For Helga's sake, even Heather was less socially awkward than her.

"Oh, bugger," Hermione's mouth said without consulting her brain. She flushed in embarrassment at his look of query. "Pardon me, that was just really shocking."

He laughed and it made him look a bit more human and less like a misplaced angel.

"You are surprised," Legolas said. "I shall leave you to sort out your thoughts."

Well, he was back to being polite, but at least he wasn't distant. Hermione couldn't have him reverting. She stood up and walked around her desk to give him a firm hug that had him flushing a faint pink.

"I'm surprised but happy. Thank you for the offer of friendship, Prince Legolas," she reiterated. Hermione let go after a moment because he looked very uncomfortable. "In these dark times, friends are important."

That caught his attention. "Dark times?" he asked.

Oh, Morgana! Legolas was supposed to be in vacation while in Haven city, Discussion of Dark Lords was not vacation material.

"Seek me out when you are ready to depart from Saldia and I shall tell you," Hermione compromised. "Until then, enjoy your stay in our city."

His brow furrowed but he agreed.

When he finally left, Hermione nearly dived in her haste to get a pen and paper.

"Dear Elladan," she wrote. "You wouldn't believe what I did today…"

After signing the thirty-third document that really didn't need her personal approval, Heathers temper snapped.

"I can't stand this anymore," she snarled to the startled assistant. "Stop bringing me those useless documents. Get me Felicia and Enid."

The man hurried to do as instructed and Heather turned to the second assistant. "Get me Guiomer and Hodur."

An orphan braved the lions den and raised his opinion. "My lady, the Lord Guiomer be busy with that shiny elf," he said hesitantly.

The boy really was brave since he didn't flinch when Heather turned her complete attention to him. "Stick the elf in our obstacle course. The one that the Brotherhood has to go through in order to graduate," she said. That ought to keep him busy.

She turned to her last remaining assistant. "What's your name?"

The girl straightened her back proudly and Heather was reminded why she picked these orphans to be her personal assistants. They were sensible and not afraid of her.

"My name is Julianne, my lady," she said firmly.

Heather nodded. "Alright, Julienne, get another orphan to fetch Meiran and Deimos. Stick Faramir with Prince Legolas. Magic knows those two needs to be introduced to each other."

While everybody ran to do everything she ordered, Heather sent a mental prod to Kreacher for a cup of Herbal Headache Tea. The elf complied in a minute along with some extra cookies and teacups for the other guests.

Heather snorted in amusement at the sight of it. Cheeky elf.

"What is Merlin's name, feather?" Hermione demanded, the first to arrive since her office was closest. Her curly brown hair was crackling with irritation.

Heather waved her to take a seat. Hermione huffed and conjured herself a chair. She was used to Heather's tactic of explaining everything once everything was settled.

While they waited, and the Headache Tea was steadily drained, Heather dumped all her paperwork to the floor to clear her table. A quick spell made the table fitting for a meeting between seven people.

Draco arrived next, black blindfold tied to his wrist like a bracelet and baring his startling eyes. It enhanced his annoyed glare that wasn't deterred by his bulging cheeks as he attacked the cookies with a vengeance.

Meiran and Deimos arrived together, heads bent and whispering secrets to each others ears. Both of them didn't bat an eyelash when Draco waved a hand to conjure them their own chairs continuing their discussion solemnly.

Felicia arrived next, hair all over her face and reading glasses hanging around her neck. Her fingers were splattered with ink and her gaze was distracted. Amusingly, she looked like an efficient Luna, with ink-splattered hands and a sharp gaze.

Guiomer stumbled through her door last and hastily closed it at her stern stare. The Sword of Gryffindor hanging by his waist was quickly unbuckled and hung at the back of his own conjured chair.

Hermione started the meeting by slamming her empty teacup on the transfigured table.

"Well?" she demanded.

"Sorry guys," Heather sighed. "I know you're all busy. But this is getting ridiculous. We need proper Departments for this. When Saldia was still Haven city and small, four people with some assistants could manage running it. This," a hand was waved emphatically to emphasize the point. "We can't keep doing this now that Saldia has been established."

Draco and Hermione understood immediately. They had, after all, come from a world littered with different government systems. Guiomer had some clue about it with all their stories. But the other three looked confused.

"My lady, what?" Felicia asked for all bewildered parties.

Hermione quickly explained things succinctly while Draco summoned parchment and ink.

"How do you want this?" Draco asked rhetorically.

Meiran understood what he meant immediately. "My lord, you can't put anybody else but Lady Gryffon in leading the people. Nobody will accept it. She's like..."

"An anchor," a familiar dreamy voice interjected.

They turned to find Luna there, handwritten blueprints for ships rolled neatly in her hands. Phobos was behind her, holding the budget plans for the Shipyard Project. Both of them had the subtle air of accomplishment even as they were ruffled and looked in dire need of several nights of good rest.

Mainly, aside from finishing their project Luna and Phobos seemed very annoyed at being left out.

For the usually apathetic Phobos, having him annoyed was surprising. For the good-natured Luna, having her annoyed was unnerving.

Nevermind headaches. Heather had a migraine.

"Moonbeam, you finished," Hermione said cheerfully, breaking the awkward silence.

Draco coughed. "Don't be so sensitive, Eilys. Get your arse parked here and start helping," he

barked.

Luna's silvery-gray eyes darted to each person and settled, finally on a very apologetic Heather. Her shoulders unknotted and things were back on track again. Guiomer could be heard giving very small sigh of relief.

A potential argument at the start of establishing a new government? That was an omen. Whether good or bad remained to be seen.

But, like all their planning sessions, it started with a debate. Hermione began with explaining the different government systems. An argument of the pros and cons were entered by the twins and finished by Felicia, with Meiran backing her up. Guiomer placed the final nail by announcing, "You're all arguing over the same thing. Summarily put, you're saying that you don't want the 'conventional' method of hiring people. Why don't we get a spell for that? So we can get people we can trust."

And finally, they turned to the four founders who were watching them with amusement.

"They're so adorable," Heather sighed. "Rings a sense of déjà vu, really."

Hermione and Luna exchanged looks of amusement. Draco just rolled his eyes and grabbed a spare parchment. "But you do agree with the system we chose?" he asked.

"It might need some tweaks," Guiomer said, speaking for all of them. "But yeah. The idea is there."

They all helped in putting everything into paper, so by the end of it, several things were established.

First, that all newly added departments would manage only their section and were unable to give new laws unless passed by the Council. The Department heads would be the Executive part of Saldia, per se.

Second, that the Council would approve of laws and suggest laws but the final approval came from Heather. The only way that would ever be overridden would be if there was a unanimous decision from everyone in the Council or a joint petition from all the Department heads.

The Council would come from a representative of every district, resulting in a number of forty Council Members. The requirements to be one were simple: The accomplishment of Basic Education and the faith of everybody in the district to represent them and their opinions.

Of course, the assistants and Guiomer all expressed their bewilderment on where Heathers siblings would go in the new government but Draco just rolled his eyes at their naïvety and Hermione beamed.

"We'll be the lot that criticizes any mistakes occurring," Luna interjected, voice soft yet arresting. "You can call us the committee against government mis-demeanors."

Heather laughed at the term.

However, putting it into paper was one thing and actually establishing it was another.

There are meetings and then there are meetings. The poor orphans were running ragged with the number of orders tossed around but their coin pouches were fairly bulging so nobody complained.

Still, it was easier than establishing Saldia because Hermione and Guiomer were there and harder because people kept asking and somehow, gossip just couldn't cut it anymore.

"We need a way to let everybody know announcements quickly. This is absurd," Heather complained.

Luna and Heather looked on in bewilderment when Hermione and Draco exchanged 'Eureka' looks.

"I'll go get it," Draco announced and he apparated away.

Hermione beamed and explained before Heather could demand what in the world was going on. "We talked about it once, if it was possible to start a newspaper business of some sort. Well, initially Draco wanted a machine that would make parchment and paper. It just sort of...evolved from there."

Heather had to blink several times before her brain restarted itself. It was official. Her family was bloody brilliant.

"Let's do that later," Heather managed just as Draco came back, a small machine in his hands. "Let's start small, hmm? How do leaflets sound to you?"

While Luna giggled at Hermione's pouting expression, Heather and Draco tackled what to write.

Without meaning to, Heather ticked off several things in her checklist of Things-to-do.

First and foremost, the Esgaroth contingent were escorted home on the first ship that Luna built. It was one of those ships that Luna had built as a trial and actually came out better than anybody expected. Their treaty was hammered out and a River trade was established between both.

The very first department Heather started was the Trade and Tourism Department because she was tired of signing Approval Forms for merchants. It also attended to the guests and foreigners that could possibly be offended by her busy schedule.

Speaking of guests and foreigners, Faramir and Legolas got on like a house on fire. It surprised Heather for a moment before she analyzed it and laughed a little.

It made sense that the two of them would end up friends because Lord Faramir was the polite sort that just set people at ease by smiling. Prince Legolas was the extremely polite one that was afraid of offending people and probably practiced his facial expressions just to not be offensive.

Of course, it could have gone the other way too and Heather just thanked the Valar that both of them had bonded over the insane graduation obstacle course of the Brotherhood.

Eavesdropping lent surprising factors too. Both foreigners had bonded over the Brotherhood obstacle course and in commiserating over insane sword tutors.

"Lady Gryffon once made me run covered in deer blood and being chased by wolves to increase my stamina," Faramir said mournfully.

Legolas sighed too. "My tutor dropped me in the River wieghed down with stones by my feet to teach me to always be prepared in all things. I had to untie them myself lest I drown."

Heather stifled a snicker and left them to it.

DELETED SCENES: (Requested by AngelQueen)

Sarumans curiosity, which resulted in a migraine

The rumors of the country Saldia eventually reached Saruman the White. Being an Istari, he was insanely nosey. Unlike Gandalf the Grey, however, he wasn't nice about it. So he grabbed his palantir and tried to spy.

Miles away, in Saldia, all wizards stilled. Heather stopped signing forms, Draco paused mid-brew, Luna was elbows deep in a patient's stomache, Guiomer was receiving patrol reports and Hermione was taking a bath. Even Aedan, young though he was, paused in levitating his toys.

The reaction wasn't instant, because the wizards were curious as to who it was as well, but the watching feeling started to turn a tad bit invasive and Hermione reacted first, being in the bath and all.

With a wrench that all magicals felt, she kicked him out of Saldia and back to his body. Heather had to rub her temples at the jerk of it, it was that strong.

Saruman was found by Gandalf nursing a cup of tea that cured Headaches, the blinds lowered and his pale face decorated by a rapidly purpling handprint.

Lol. Just...lol.

Tadaah! River trade established!

Uhmm, hi.

Seriously ran out of juice and, as suggested by my sister, re-read all the reviews everybody ever sent me. It worked wonders. (Yay, it hit 700! 300 more to go!)

Just to mention it, I kind of find it funny that all of them think that the other is better with people and feelings than themselves. I mean, Heather thinks Hermione and Luna are better than her in people-speaking and Hermione thinks Heather is better...you get the idea. Of course, lets not even think about Draco. He might be good in social bits but let him see a crying female and he withers like a calamari out of water.

By the way, somebody tell me if I'm doing the government thingy wrong. I'm good with numbers and I'm not an Economics major! Help!

On a side note, I have created the promised side-fic on how Heather came to be how she was. It's called: Ice,Stone and Snow. Go read and have fun bombarding me with suggestions and reviews for it.

Reviewer suggestions(had to add suggestions coz they really are cropping up)

for idiot101: Uhm, I think half your suggestions are gold and the other half are inapplicable. I'll try. That language bit really tickled me.

Questions:

Uhm..gosh, nobody is really asking anything anymore. So I am getting a bit confused whether to be happy or not.

Please R&R

~Hallen

P.S. Someone made me a fanart! Go check it out. There are some mistakes but I totally think she got Heather and Luna right.