Author's Note:
This is both a HP reworking of "Back to the Future" themes, and a continuation/soft reboot/reworking of the time travel tale "Hair of the Grim" by Nightmare Sired Muse. It also contains many concepts, lines and situations from the grab-bag that is "Odd Ideas" by Rorschach's Blot. Both are used with the permission of their original authors (except for "Back to the Future" of course). The Harry Potter series belongs to J.K. Rowling and Warner Bros. I do not own Harry Potter or anything else. Full disclaimer in the Table of Contents.
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Rated M for some violence, language, drug use and sexual references. Nothing explicit.
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Canon-compliant. HP&DH compliant (except the Epilogue). HP&CC compliant (except the conclusion). FB&WTFT compliant. Pottermore compliant (mostly). Some crossover with: Naruto, Ranma ½, Neon Genesis Evangelion and Avatar: The Last Airbender. Primarily Harry Potter though.
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Recommended Fanfiction of the Week: "Hedwig and the Goblet of Fire" by Meteoricshipyards.
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Question of the Week: Why oh why did Harry carry a Locket of Pure Evil around on his neck, when he knew full well that horcruxes could influence peoples' minds?
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Part 5: The Hogwarts Army vs Mahōnihon
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Chapter 25 – The Battle of Kyōto
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Circa regna tonat.
– Seneca and Thomas Wyatt
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The international portkey abruptly terminated, depositing Harry onto the ground with all his usual grace. He groaned, waiting for the dizziness to subside. He'd always hated portkeys, but to subject himself to over an hour of spinning around and around at what felt like lightspeed while his body was hurled thousands of miles across the globe, was beyond the pale. There had to be better ways to get places. Next time he travelled anywhere, he was taking a place. Or apparating under his own power, even if it took him over a hundred jumps! On the upside, if Pandora and Lily could re-jig a portkey to simply spin a person around in a single location indefinitely, they'd have the world's greatest interrogation/torture device.
Gradually planting his feet firmly onto the ground, and dragging himself upright, Harry observed that his companions were in a similar state, except for Apolline who looked (infuriatingly) fresh and perfect as a daisy. Pandora's hair was naturally wild, so didn't look too different from her usual.
The group was hailed by a large man holding a giant sign that read 'HA!'. Dragging themselves unevenly away from the portkey centre, they found themselves hustled into an 18th century-style hansom cab drawn by what looked like winged dragon-horses. A gaggle of peons loaded their luggage inexplicably into the animals' feed-bags, much to Dobby and Kreacher's indignation. A quick crack of a whip, and they were on their way. The inside of the cab was magically expanded to the size of a ballroom, and as magnificently appointed as one. The party was escorted to a large dining table positioned in the exact centre of the room, filled with berobed strangers. Throwing aside her cowl, the shortest member of the greeting party grabbed Harry and pulled him bodily onto her lap before he could requisition his own seat.
"Welcome to Mahōnihon, my husband," Xiomara Zabini purred huskily. "I hope your trip was not too strenuous."
"It was just peachy," he mumbled, still feeling awhirl. Impeccably dressed attendants placed goblets of wine before them. One of them clasped a cup and held it to his lips to drink, much to his mortification. I feel like a toddler, he grumbled to himself, but the other attendants did likewise, so he grinned and bore it. Seems that this 'august' company is too highfalutin to even handle their own cutlery.
"Then you will have no problem with the second and third legs of our journey," Xiomara replied, to the others' secret (and not-so-secret) dismay. Seeing their reactions, she laughed. "Mahōnihon is much larger than it seems on muggle maps. Japanese witches and wizards have spent generations upon generations constructing the largest and most powerful muggle-repelling wards on the planet. They have been at work since the Onin War convinced the magical population that it was too hazardous to affiliate with the muggle daimyō and warlords. Two whole centuries before the signing of the International Statute of Secrecy. Even now, a designated division of the Japanese Ministry of Magic is busily at work adding more layers. The continent of Japan is in reality closer in size to Australia than it is to the Philippines, as the muggles believe."
Zabini gave them all a minute to absorb this. "To that end, the family has made arrangements to ensure we do not flail around in the khamseen." She indicated the figure sitting next to her. "Allow me to introduce our guide, Hi-no-Kagutsuchi Naho-sama."
The stranger removed her outer robe, to reveal a girl who seemed around the same age as Apolline wearing rich golden robes. Dark hair tied back with red ribbons into two Manchu-style buns, except for two long bangs on either side of her angular face that fell down below her chin. Sharp back eyes. A small golden crown adorned her head, gold earrings on her lobes and several necklaces and gold bangles around her neck and wrists. Several golden rings on her fingers that bore more than a passing resemblance to the Lady Malfoy House ring. Although younger, she was slightly taller than Xiomara. All in all, she looked far too dainty to be trekking across rough terrain or fighting units of desperate dark wizards, as far as Harry was concerned.
The Japanese girl inclined her head gracefully. The English contingent made the politest greetings they could manage while still suffering from the nauseating after-effects of international portkey travel.
"The Zabini family have contracted with Hi-no-Kagutsuchi-sama's family for her services as an expert guide, translator, scout, spokesperson, ambassador, mentor, historian, and whatever else may be required for our group for the duration of our stay in Mahōnihon."
Harry wondered what exactly they were paying her family in exchange, but decided discretion was the better part of valour. He wasn't entirely sure he wanted to know the specifics of his new family's business practices.
"She has many connections in the regions we are likely to visit. At present, she is the sole student of Mahōtokoro."
"You're the only one?" queried Lily.
Naho nodded placidly. "Since the remainder of my class are now present at Hogowarutsu as we speak."
"Your school has only 11 students?" Lily demanded incredulously.
"Yes," the girl replied with a touch of pride. "Mahōtokoro only accepts the brightest, strongest and most talented of the elite families. I was extensively tested at age seven before I was deemed acceptable enough to be offered a position. Enrolment has been less than 20 at a time since the foundation of the school in ancient times by Sarāda herself."
"Sarāda?" asked Pandora.
"The goddess of magic and learning. Perhaps you are more familiar with her names Saraswati or Shakti?"
"What happens to the other magical children who don't make the cut?" Lily's voice held a trace of truculence.
Naho shrugged indifferently. "There are many lesser schools available for magical training. Commoners have the option of trade schools who specialise in specific fields, kimono-colouring, technomancy, and so forth. Else it falls to the parents to instruct their children in the family magics."
Lily was still dissatisfied, but a surreptitious hand from Apolline under the table grasped her knee tightly in warning, and she restrained herself.
"Excuse me, Hi-sama?" Harry said politely.
"Please," she said, "refer to me as Naho. We will likely be travelling far and spending much time together as colleagues. And as a great lord and three great ladies are amongst our party, it is not seemly for a mere child of a branch family to be referred to with such respect." The door to the cabin opened, and natural light flooded into the ballroom. "We have arrived. Let us make haste, we intend to be in Mahōtokoro before nightfall," Naho instructed.
The cab had reached the waterfront. As they debarked, Harry was caught in his new wife's surprisingly strong arms.
"And here I must leave you for now, my husband," she said regretfully.
"How come?"
"I must finish making arrangements here. And then I shall go to our ancestral lands in Italy and try to gain us further allies."
"It's not going to be too dangerous for you?" Harry asked. Even though he barely knew the girl, she'd kept her side of the bargain and proven herself a valuable friend. He didn't want to risk her injury or death.
Xiomara smiled warmly at his open concern for her wellbeing, and gave him another squeeze. "It will be hazardous at times," she admitted. "One does not enter the realms of beings of power without risk. But I will have my family at my side; we have been dealing with their like for centuries." She hesitated a moment, then leaned forward to plant a smouldering kiss on his lips. "Motivation," she whispered huskily, "to speed our return to each other. Arrivederci, dodi." And then the cab door was shut, and the vehicle was pulling away.
Apolline seized the arm of a dazed Harry and dragged him along after the others, who were already halfway up the slope. The French girl politely made no comment on his confused mess of emotions. The group followed the silent steps of their guide up to the crest of the steep hill. A series of gigantic rookeries were set in the side of the cliff, overlooking the Pacific Ocean.
"Our destination is the next island in this chain, Minami Iwo Jima," Naho announced.
"Not another portkey is it?" Harry groaned in dread, and was rewarded by the guide's light, tinkling laughter. Pointing, she indicated a gigantic nest filled with improbably large storm petrels. These sea birds were taller than him by a clear two feet.
"Better. This is the traditional method for students to reach Mahōtokoro – far more exciting than a train ride, no?" So saying, she leaped on the back of the nearest petrel, coaxing the creature into the air. Apolline laughed and transformed into her avian body, flying alongside.
"Now that's my kind of transportation!" declared Harry. Climbing aboard his own petrel, he asked it nicely to follow the other two. To his surprise, the giant bird actually seemed to understand him, for with an amused squawk; it bent its legs, spread its impressive wingspan and launched itself into space.
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"You're right," Harry hollered. "This is way more fun than sitting on a train like a pile of slugs!" His petrel rolled and dived once more. Then accelerated and shot past the group. "Wahoo!"
Apolline wheeled and twirled around him joyfully.
"Could you two stop doing that?" complained Lily. Mary was wedged tightly behind her, face buried in the back of her neck, arms gripping her waist with white intensity. "All those loop-de-loops are starting to give me a headache."
"If only we still had enough students to fill a Quidditch team," Naho said wistfully. Then she raised her voice. "Lord Pettigrew! Agree to join the Toyohashi Tengu and I will arrange for you to obtain Japanese citizenship!"
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"Behold! Mahōtokoro no Gakuen no Kyūden!"
Before them in the distance, a volcanic island rose out of the oceanic haze. On the highest peak perched a gleam of white that sparkled and glistened in the fading sunlight. They approached, it resolved itself into an enormous pagoda made of brilliant white stone. The multiple eaves were accentuated with a rainbow of blue and white tiles.
Naho withdrew her cherry-wood wand and shot a fiery golden flare into the sky. A minute later and green sparks shot from the roof of the pagoda.
"It's so beautiful," declared Lily Luna, admiring the graceful architecture and glittering surfaces.
"The most beautiful magical school in the world!" responded Naho. "The entire building is made of the finest nephrite."
"What's that?"
"White jade. Extraced from the sacred mines of Ningshao in Mahōshina. That's the Middle Kingdom in mundane parlance."
"The Palace of Illusions," Narcissa breathed in wonder.
"What's that?" called Remus from his mount.
"A legend," Narcissa explained. "In the city of Indraprastha, in India, was said to be a palace made of clear crystal crafted by the Pandava monarchs. It was said to be so cunningly wrought that you couldn't tell the difference between the floors and a stream of water. A visiting king ended up falling into a fountain by accident because of it."
Remus snickered.
"The king was so incensed by the humiliation he started a war that ended up destroying the entire civilisation," she added dryly.
"Oh. Let's just hope nothing like that happens to us," he chuckled nervously.
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"Professor Kikyō-sama." Naho knelt respectfully before her Headmistress.
The rest of the group sat in seiza position seven paces behind, as the girl and her teacher spoke for a long time in low, even tones. All but Apolline and Narcissa shifted awkwardly from time to time, in considerable pain and discomfort but struggling not to show it.
Eventually the woman addressed them. "Naho has explained the situation to me. You are welcome here, visitors of Hogowarutsu."
The Headmistress wore long white robes and red hakama, long black hair tied back severely except for the two long bangs hanging down either side of her face, in what seemed to be the local aristocratic styling (to judge from Naho's similar cut). Odd, ethereal balls of light floated around her at a distance. Focusing on those, Harry felt his hairs stand on end. His time with Dirk and Master Dee had sensitised him to the flows of necromantic energy, and they surrounded this woman in spades. She's a ghost, he realised. But closer to Peeves than Nearly-Headless Nick; she can clearly interact directly with the physical world. He and Dirk had had to 'bust' a number of these types of ghosts, although the one before him had an unmistakeable aura of power around her. Harry doubted that trying to vanquish this one would be in any way an easy task.
The Headmistress seemed aware of his scrutiny, and inclined her head slightly to him to acknowledge his awareness.
"That is most generous of you, ma'am," Lily replied formally. "So you'll aid us?"
"So I'll aid you," the Headmistress agreed. "The British and Japanese governments (magical and mundane alike) have been formal allies ever since Grindelwald's forces were crushed in the 1940's. Although contacts between the two governments have been patchy at times, and our respective Ministers have had little to say to each other over the past 30 years, nothing has disturbed the strength of this bond. The arrival of hordes of Europeans to interfere with a purely internal Japanese conflict, with an intent to exploit that conflict to export war back to Europe, has the potential to destabilise both countries and harm our interests. It is to mutual advantage to assist you to bring this to a swift conclusion."
"You mentioned an internal conflict, Professor," Lily said respectfully. "Could you please elaborate?"
"I will leave it to Naho to explain the history, given her personal connection. While I contact the key members of our government, you will all undertake a crash course in Japanese magic, so you will at least have some inkling of the forces you will be facing and, hopefully, not end up as gaijin fertiliser for the sunflowers the moment you enter the wild regions." And with that ominous pronouncement, she rose silently and fluidly to her feet. Naho, Apolline and Narcissa did likewise. The remainder struggled up awkwardly, trying to get the blood moving once again through their atrophied limbs. "I will leave you in the capable hands of Professor Maniaku. He is a wandering souhei who kindly agreed to stay and impart some of his vast knowledge of the magical Asia to the students of Mahōtokoro. You will treat him with the appropriate respect."
Professor Maniaku turned out to be a tall, jovial stick of a man with a shock of black hair in a short ponytail, deep blue robes and a thin bronze staff. He wore as much jewellery in his ears, neck and arms as Naho. "Greetings, my new students. How wonderful to see the school so full of life again!" And with that preamble out of the way, he was off. Before anyone could get a word in edgewise, he declared, "Mahōnihon can mean two things. The more common meaning refers to those magical districts attached to, but hidden from, major mundane settlements. These districts operate like your Diagon and Hogsmeade. They are under the direct jurisdiction of the Japanese Ministry of Magic. Then you have shadow Mahōnihon, the so-called 'wild regions', which are under the jurisdiction of nobody but the local daimyō, who answer only to the Emperor and Magical Council."
And guess where we're headed! the Grim joked. As if there were any doubt!
"There are many varieties of Japanese magic," the Professor lectured. "However, given the time constraints we are under, I will focus on those types utilised by the clans you are likely to face in the wild regions. These clans are ruled by, and primarily composed of, persons known as ninja, to use the Chinese pronunciation, or shinobi no mono, to use the Japanese. Both terms indicate an adept of stealth. They bear no resemblance to the popular muggle conceptions that these names conjure up, so forget whatever you may have heard on the subject."
"Damn." Harry and Sirius sagged in disappointment.
"The clans rely on magical traditions inherited from India and China. These traditions centre around the manipulation of magic, which is typically referred to by its Sanskrit name, chakra, through physical and mental gestures instead of via wands."
"What!?" Lily Luna blurted. "You're telling us they do all their magic wandlessly!?"
"Indeed yes, Miss Potter. Outside of Mahōtokoro alumni, wandlore is nigh-nonexistent in Mahōnihon and Mahōshina. Talented practitioners of wandless magics may even reach levels equivalent to the wand-users in Europe and the Americas."
The foreign students broke out into a flurry of energetic (and some disbelieving) whispers.
"Most of these techniques, or jutsus, were imported and taught by the Buddhist monks who immigrated from India," Professor Maniaku continued. "Consequently, they have retained a lot of Indian characteristics. They were then combined with Chinese martial arts practices to influence natural forces, to 'bend' fire, earth, air, water, ice, lightning, and so forth. Over time, these skills were expanded to manipulate wide varieties and specialities of phenomena. Instead of using wands, adepts are encouraged to stimulate and manipulate their magic – their chakra – by means of rigorous combat training. Such training expands one's magical channels, and eases the flow of energy from a person's core to influence the external world. Ergo, we must start with a detailed examination of the Indian and Chinese systems of anatomy."
"Aha!" Harry crowed. "I knew it! I told you learning anatomy would be useful, Lils! And you just laughed and accused me of trying to get into your robes!"
"Shut up, you chattering marmoset!" Lily hissed, jabbing him with her quill that was already in her hand.
"Er, how many of these 'talented practitioners' are there, and how strong are they exactly?" inquired Remus, raising his hand hesitantly.
"A fine question, Mr Lupin. Luckily for my voice, there is a standardised scale of skill that is used across the wild regions. Most students begin their physical training at age four. The first level of rank is known as genin, whose knowledge is roughly equivalent to your OWLs. The second level is known as chūnin, which is roughly equivalent to your NEWTs, and the final level is jōnin, similar to your Mastery levels. Genin level proficiency is typically attained at age 12 for a moderately skilled adept. Chūnin and jōnin levels are not guaranteed, and will depend on the quality of the individual."
Naho interjected, "And of the sanin and S-class nin, Professor?"
"Something far beyond Mastery-level," the Professor said gravely. "Think of the likes of Albus Dumbledore or Gellert Grindelwald or Voldemort."
Harry swallowed nervously. Sweet Morgana's sweaty sandals! He raised his hand. "There, uh, there aren't a lot these sanin or S-class whatchamacallits around, are there?"
"No, not many, Mr Pettigrew. At present, there is a higher concentration than usual, historically speaking. But even so, no more than a dozen or two alive right now."
"Merlin's mizzen-mast, a dozen or two!? This whole thing's going to be a lot tougher than I thought!" Sirius summed up everyone's thoughts.
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DARK LORD GRINDELWALD ALIVE!
Former Dark Lord Believed Dead Actually Still Alive! Grindelwald Captures Squib Shade of MRHBDL and Flees to Magical Asia With Purloined Death Eaters and Sympathisers! Seeks to Overthrow Barbarian Lands!
By Rita Skeeter and Ahmed Adoudi
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"The Magical Council?"
"Yes," Headmistress Kikyō nodded. "It is a tremendous honour to be invited to attend."
"Are we going to use the petrels again, ma'am?" Harry asked excitedly. Mary and Narcissa groaned.
She smiled at his enthusiasm. "That is the tradition for student transport. We have much faster methods if necessary, for example to obtain emergency medical aid in the event that someone is seriously injured. However it is a secret of the school, so I must insist that you be blindfolded."
A blind contingent of English and French students was soon being led in a chain of hands to a mysterious location. After climbing their eighth staircase, they reached a large room, wherein Harry could feel the soft breeze from the Pacific. Moved to the centre, the group stood in a circle holding hands.
"Uh, when is this thing going to happen?" ventured Sirius.
"We are already here," chuckled Professor Kikyō. "You may remove your blindfolds."
Looking around in astonishment, they discovered that they were indeed somewhere else. The reception of a hospital by the looks of it. Harry was mighty impressed by a system of transport that was instantaneous, silent and most importantly of all, did not include being spun around in circles several thousand times! Our party definitely needs one. I'd buy that for a dollar!
"Welcome to one of the major magical hospitals of Japan, Onamuchi-no-mikoto to Sukunahikona-no-mikoto no Byouin," the Headmistress proclaimed. "It adjoins Kyōto Palace, and there are several tunnels that connect, so that members of the Magical Council and their families may have swift access to medical facilities. Since many of the students of Mahōtokoro are related to members of the Council, having a permanent connection between here and the school also allows more easily for family visits."
Sirius gasped in dismay. "And I thought the Defence Prof's name was bad! How in Merlin's name is anyone supposed to remember that mouthful!?"
Naho laughed at his horrified expression. "Some call it 'Omi to Sumi' for short. At least, those with the memory span of a flobberworm."
"'Miso soup and charcoal'?" Apolline queried, nose scrunching cutely. "Such an odd concatenation for a place of healing."
"I believe the term originates from a time when these things were used as common remedies," Naho answered as they were ushered through a corridor and a set of large, ornate doors. "Miso is considered like chicken soup is in Europe; and it was common to use charcoal for poultices, or in the days before bezoars were discovered, consumed to combat the effects of poisons."
"Muggle hospitals still use activated charcoal for the same purposes," Mary offered.
Their destination was a large room with wall-to-wall wardrobe cabinets as far as the eye could see. Silent attendants rushed forward and began assiduously stripping them of their clothes and re-dressing them in formal kimono. Lily and Mary squawked at the invasion of personal space. Narcissa and Apolline laughed merrily as the two muggleborn fled to the opposite side of the room where their bodies would be hidden from the others by the furniture and full-length mirrors. Naho tucked away a smile and focused on ensuring that Lord and Lady Malfoy and herself were dressed to denote their proper rank.
"There," Naho said, looking Harry over in satisfaction. Now you are attired as a proper daimyō should be."
"Are you sure it's supposed to look like this?" Harry queried hesitantly. While comfortable, the bright red, green and blue colouring was rather … garish, to his mind. And all the golden cords and threads seemed rather narcissistic. It reminded him a bit too much of the styles of Albus Dumbledore or Aleister Dee.
A small frown marred the girl's smooth forehead. "Of course. Is something wrong?"
"Uh, I'm just worried about presenting myself as one of these daimyō people," Harry lied. "Isn't it awfully presumptuous for some foreigner to parade around as a great lord?"
"You are a great lord," Naho said firmly. "One of the greatest in magical Britain. The Magical Council will recognise that."
"Then perhaps I should appear in traditional English lordly robes," Harry said hopefully. Naho merely tightened the chin-strap of his tate-eboshi in response. Harry sighed.
"Where's the Prof gone?" asked Remus, half-wrestling with his insistent attendant to slip on a haori while trying to step into a pair of slippers.
"To make arrangements for us to enter and petition the Council. One does not simply walk into Kyōto Palace and demand an audience with the Shōwa Emperor," Professor Kikyō said sternly, silently appearing in the middle of the room at that very moment. Gathering the students around her, she gave a brief explanation of what they were to expect and how to conduct themselves in the proper etiquette of the Court.
"The Emperor is the direct descendant of Amaterasu-ōmikami, the sun-goddess who created the continent of Japan. He is the leader of the Japanese Ministry of Magic, and the official head of state of the muggle government, though he has little actual power on that side. The magical daimyō in the wild regions all answer to him; the mundane daimyō did so as well, until they were abolished by the muggle Meiji Imperialist government in the 1870's. The Magic Council act as his advisors, and function somewhat similarly to your Wizengamot. The Japanese Minister of Magic is answerable to both the Council and the Emperor."
She described the formal modes of address to use, to only speak when spoken to, the order of arrival and departure, and the proper kowtowing customs. "Leave your wands here. Come, the Council awaits us."
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"Well," the Headmistress of Mahōtokoro said in a dazed tone. "That was certainly … unusual."
"Unusual? How in the name of Orochi's eight heads did the Emperor know who you were?!" Naho demanded, her face twisted in a petulant pout.
"Don't let it worry you. It's me, I'm extremely famous," Harry offered flippantly.
"For what? What could you possibly have done to have brought yourself so prominently to the Emperor's notice? You've never been to Nihon before have you?" the tall girl persisted.
That stumped him. He wasn't the Boy-Who-Lived in this time and place. And he couldn't think of anything he'd done in Britain in either timeline that these people would care about. "Ahhh no idea. And no, I've never been to Japan before." He looked for help to the others, who were scattered around one of the many imperial sitting-rooms, but met only blank stares.
"It must have been something – the Emperor does not just award honorary daimyō rank and then offer the hand of his granddaughter, the only daughter of the Crown Prince, to a complete stranger! Even more so a gaijin who has been in Nihon for no more than a few days!" Naho paced back and forth with an agitation that the heretofore perfectly-composed girl had never demonstrated.
"And why not?" demanded Lily Luna, rising to his defence. "Peter's pretty awesome all around!"
He smiled weakly. "Thanks Elle." Then trying desperately to change the subject said, "In any case, I wasn't the only one honoured – I think congratulations are in order to Naho, for being invested as the Emperor's formal representative to the wild regions. And we all received formal authorisation as resident foreigners. How about a cup of sake to cheers our success?"
"I don't think you understand," Kikyō shook her head in consternation, not to be deterred. "This is absolutely unprecedented. For the Emperor to invest you as a daimyō is unusual in the extreme, but explainable since you are already a lord of similar rank in your own country. But for him to offer you Nori-no-miya Sayako Naishinnō as a bride … one would think that the Shōwa Emperor owed you a Life Debt or some such similar obligation! That is the only reason I can think of, unless he wishes to establish a formal blood-alliance with your House."
"No no no no," Harry shook his head emphatically. While the pictures he'd been shown of the little seven-year-old girl were certainly adorable, he wanted nothing to do with child brides and was more than done with political marriages! "No more brides, no more arranged marriages! I have more than enough on my plate dealing with the current crop I'm saddled with – er, I mean, I need to spend all my time and energy seeing to the happiness of the wonderful wives I have," he hastily amended. "I don't want anyone else distracting me from that."
"Good," said Pandora in satisfaction. "Otherwise, one might think you did not desire (for some inexplicable and no doubt imbecilic reason) to be united with the brightest and most beautiful witches of the age, who include the Greatest Genius of the Era …"
"Not at all! If I had to be strong-armed into marriage, or accidentally wed through bizarre, obscure magics, with any witches, I'm very glad it was with you four," Harry said sincerely.
Lily raised a brow at that, Mary and Lily Luna were struggling to restrain another bout of giggling, but at least Pandora and Apolline seemed satisfied with the heartfelt pronouncement, and the obvious earnestness in which it was delivered.
"Better you than me, Wormy," Remus shook his head.
"Speak for yourself, Moony, some of us are more than capable – ouch!" Sirius flinched away from his betrothed's wandless stinging hex. "Ehehe you know I was only kidding right, babe – ow!" he yipped. He shifted into his Grim form, and the others laughed as the black dog was chased around the room by an irritated Narcissa Black. It was a welcome break in the tension in the room.
But the latest episode of hijinks in the Black family melodrama was rudely interrupted by the sound of an enormous explosion. The Headmistress immediately vanished from the room. The group rushed over to the windows, to observe large plumes of threatening black smoke arising from palace complex.
Professor Kikyō reappeared. "The walls have been breached! Kyōto Palace is under attack!"
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The stone walls and layers of magical wards surrounding them were torn asunder. Hordes of pale white, human-like creatures swarmed into the palace complex, ripping through stone and wood as if they were rice paper. The guards were quickly overwhelmed.
"Our foes are mighty indeed to have been able to breach imperial wards of such power!" stated Naho grimly, staring out the window at the carnage.
"I will go find the Emperor," Professor Kikyō announced. "Arm yourselves – we must protect the Magical Council!" She disappeared once more.
"We need our wands!" Narcissa demanded. Padfoot's animagus-enhanced sense of direction led the group back to the changing rooms where their wands and other luggage was stored.
Seizing his 27 wands, Harry hurriedly began loading them into every holster he could find and strapping them onto himself. He paused, at a thought. Turning to Apolline, he proffered the five wands with her Veela-hair core. "Take these, please. In case you need a backup spare or five."
Apolline regarded him a moment. "Keep them, mon coeur. I would feel 'appier knowing zat my magic is around you, protecting you from 'arm."
"Half and half then," Harry urged. She reluctantly conceded, and he passed her five of the wands. It was unfortunate that nobody else was compatible with any of his other ones. Then again, they all still had their second-hand spares. And hopefully, with everyone backing each other up, they wouldn't need more.
Half of the group were still fitting their dragonhide vests onto their torsos. Securing his, Harry announced, "I'm going to go scout! Get to the Magical Council and find somewhere to hunker down!" Before anyone could object, he'd transformed into his rat-body and scampered out the door. Racing across the corridor, he became aware of another creature following. Looking up, he saw the large black Grim trotting along beside him. Sharing a brief look of acknowledgement, the two animagi made their way out into the courtyard, and then beyond, into the outer palace complex. The rich smells of burning wood assaulted them. Everywhere was confusion as soldiers, officials and bureaucrats raced around wildly, trying to save themselves. Harry's rodent-senses were going wild. The air was filled with necromantic energies. Transfiguring back into a human, Harry took a moment to scrutinise the invaders.
Skin a pale, sickly white, metallic green hair and yellow eyes, strange zigzag patterns running over their torsos and legs, weird spikes poking out of their shoulders and chests. These creatures were not fully alive, that became immediately evident once he focused his necromantic senses onto them. They were obviously some weird local variant of zombies or Inferii. A cold smile graced Harry's face when he realised the situation. It was foolish to take on even a moderately skilled practitioner of necromancy with a bunch of Inferii, no matter how numerous they may be. It was sheer folly to do it with one of his power and skill level. Whipping his wand around in complex patterns, he cast soul-shredding hexes left and right, grinning in grim satisfaction as dozens of the white creatures screamed and dissolved into indeterminate masses of ectoplasm and flesh with every slash of his wand. Ignoring Padfoot's disbelieving shouts, he moved quickly forward, hexing his way through the attackers, as they shrieked and fell back.
"Fire!" he yelled to Sirius. "Inferii are weak against fire! Remember our HA training!" His fellow Marauder nodded tightly and soon the flashes and heat of his Incendios could be felt at the edges of Harry's consciousness.
Some of the invaders carried weapons, so the two were soon forced to dodge spear and katana more and more often as the grunts fell back and a more heavily armed and seemingly more trained and intelligent contingent began to focus on them. Sirius conjured a stone wall, and they dived behind it. The wall shuddered as it absorbed the blows of arrows and spears.
"Enough of this shite!" Harry growled. Pulling out a secondary wand he attempted to do something he was only rarely able to achieve at the Auror Academy. Duel wielding wands was difficult at the best of times, since one had to split their concentration and intent through two magical interfaces simultaneously. However, it was a lot easier to do when you were only casting a single spell with them both. Leaning back, he breathed deeply, called upon the rat inside, and using its terror and panic to fuel his magic he cast.
"Fiendfyre!"
A flaming stag, rat, Grim, Veela-bird, werewolf, otter, lynx, petrel and serpent sprang forth from his wands. They immediately turned on him, hungrily seeking to consume their summoner. With a monumental force of will, Harry's magic drove them off, towards their attackers. Twisting, writhing and resisting his control, the fiery creatures reluctantly turned away from him and swept like a tidal wave of red and gold into the shrieking zombies. Cowering from the intense heat, Sirus huddled against the stone wall and marvelled to himself at the force of Pettigrew's spell. After several minutes, the heat evaporated and his friend collapsed down beside him, panting and sweating huge drops.
"You okay, Wormtail?" he rasped, voice choking.
"Yeah," Harry gasped, shivering. "But Merlin, that spell takes a lot out of you!"
"Come on," Padfoot stood and propped his pooped companion up against his broad shoulder. "By the sounds of things there's a bunch of them over on the other side of the palace."
By the time they reached the next scene of action, stepping over acres of charred and twisted corpses as they went, Harry had more or less recovered his strength. Knowing that he didn't have it in him to cast fiendfyre curses all day, he crouched behind a ruined building and looked around for any sort of advantage. Fortunately for him, an advantage presented itself of its own will. The war cries of the white hordes laying siege to the main gate of the central palace suddenly turned to panic and dismay as a giant serpent, in full Groucho Marx facewear, appeared as if from nowhere and laid into their ranks with gusto. Petrifying dozens with its gaze. Hurling others into the air with flicks of its enormous tail. Happily seizing with its great jaws and poison fangs any who got within range of its strike, gobbling them up. Harry quickly closed his eyes and clapped a hand over Padfoot's.
The rat animagus cast a Sonorus on his throat. §Sssallie!§ he called out, magically enhanced voice ringing out over the chaos of battle. §Are you all right?§
§Yessss master,§ she purred blissfully. §Their puny sssticksss are no match for my hide. And thessse munchiesss are ever ssso crunchy and juicy!§
§Uh, right. Good work! Feel free to eat or petrify asss many of the white thingsss asss you wish. It'sss been too long sssince you've had a real feassst, hasssn't it?§
§Farrrrr too long,§ she hissed in satisfaction. §I will sleep for monthsss after thisss day!§
§We must go find the ressst of the ssscum who invade thisss place,§ Harry declared. §The ruler of thessse landsss isss in danger! I will come and find you when we are done!§
§Asss you wisssh. I shall likely be ssslumbering by the lake.§
"Come on, Padfoot, we're not needed here! Onto the next battlefield!" Trying not to look at the gigantic leviathan or listen to the pitiful cries and sounds of rending flesh, the two made their way to whatever trouble may await them.
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Fighting Inferii inside the palace, room by room and corridor by corridor was a vastly different prospect than facing them outside in wide open spaces. Harry couldn't use fiendfyre and Sirius couldn't use Incendio for fear of burning the entire wooden palace to the ground, incinerating everyone inside. Instead they had to make do with cutting, slicing and unspeakable necromantic hexes to bludgeon their way through the building to the inner sanctum, hoping to find their friends and the Magical Council. Their wishes were partially answered as they broke through a cluster of the creatures and into the room to which they were laying siege. Levitating the broken wooden pillars and railings out of the way, they discovered Lily Luna, Narcissa and Naho barricaded inside. With squeals of joy, the two former hurled themselves into Harry and Sirius' arms respectively.
"I'm so glad you're here," Lily Luna mumbled, burying her face into Harry's shoulder as she squeezed the life out of him. He patted her back awkwardly.
"There there," he comforted as well as he was able for someone of such limited experience. "What happened to the others? And where are the Magical Council?"
She scrunched her nose. "Same place, I think. The guards came to collect us all right after you two left the changing room. Took everyone down to some reinforced bunker." Lily Luna grinned viciously. "Apolline unleashed her Veela-fire; she was slinging it all over the place. Cut through those vile, foul things like a hot knife through a soft camembert!"
"Then why the bloody hell are you three up here?" asked Sirius, as gently as he could.
"Ceiling collapsed," Naho informed them laconically, guarding the entranceway.
"The three of us were in the rear, got blocked off from the rest," Lily Luna agreed. "The … the guards who were with us didn't make it."
Harry held her tightly. "Padfoot, can you call them on the Mirrors?"
Sirius nodded and fished out his communication mirror. The call was quickly answered and he began chattering rapidly to whoever was on the other end.
Looking around, Harry observed that they had arrived in a large stately ballroom that looked like it had been set up for some sort of seminar series. Naho and Narcissa were levitating as much furniture as would fit against the doors, and conjuring stone blocks to re-barricade them. So many conjurations had to be exhausting. Not a moment too soon, as they could hear their foes outside massing for another assault. The doors began to shudder under the multiple impacts.
"The others are fine!" Padfoot called. "The guards got Remus, Lily, Mary, Pandora, Apolline, and the Magical Council to some underground passage and down into some nuclear bunker or something. Including us, that's everyone accounted for except Headmistress Kikyō and the Emperor and Empress!"
Harry sighed in relief. "Thank Merlin. Though if these things get the Emperor, we could all be in for a whole lot of grief."
There was a sudden pop, and two sixthies and a fifthie appeared next to them.
"Hiya," Al waved cheerily.
The whole room began to shiver, and an entire wall began to melt away. Cursing to themselves, Harry, Sirius, Narcissa, the elder Lily Luna and Naho began hurling whatever hexes and jinxes they could think of to try to halt the next oncoming tide of malice. The three travellers looked around frantically, startled by the cacophony of ripping, exploded and melting.
"Peter! What in the name Merlin's left nipple-piercing is going on?!" screamed young Lily Luna.
"Now is not a good time!" Harry hollered. "We're under attack! Get yourselves somewhere safe – or, better yet, to a safer timeline!"
The three travellers scattered in terror as the wall gave out and 30 or 40 Inferii smashed into the ballroom and made for the humans.
"They're comin' right for us!" shouted Scorpius.
"Go, kids!" Harry commanded. "The five of us will cover your retreat!"
"If I may," smirked Narcissa, gesturing with her wand.
"Be my guest," Harry agreed in a gentlemanly fashion.
Every table, chair, stool and bookcase in the ballroom came to life and charged the undead horde. Howling Inferii fell under the cavalcade of biting, gnawing and jumping wooden artefacts. A pair of heavy walnut cabinets seemed to take great delight in hurling themselves at the intact walls, crushing whatever unfortunate creatures got caught in the middle.
"Someone's been working on their Transfiguration and Animation," Harry said appreciatively to the two Blacks.
"What can I say, we're Blacks," preened Sirius.
"Indeed. And Blacks do not typically prefer to stand around gabbing all day while in mortal peril," Narcissa sniffed loftily, flicking a speck of dust off her cloak with casual insouciance.
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"Where's Sirius and Narcissa?" Harry demanded, the next time the group had a moment to rest and recover (and he'd finally had another chance to do a headcount).
"Got separated back in the second Hall of Mirrors," panted Lily Luna. "I think they went after the other me, Al and Scorpius. I remember something from a few years ago, how they helped me and the others get out of the palace and to a hiding place beyond the walls."
"So the three of you made it?" Harry asked intensely. "Nobody hurt? You don't remember any others arriving to help you get out? Or protecting your backs?"
She shook her head emphatically. "No, it was just Sirius and Narcissa. Then they guarded us from the few that were wandering around the walls. Then when everything got quiet they went back to help you guys. That's when The Device's timer ran out. We were unharmed."
"Then they will be fine," said Naho firmly. "Else Miss Potter would not be here now, correct? Using a time device cannot change the course of the timestream, if I recall my lessons accurately."
"You do," Harry replied, remembering Pandora's lecture back at her lab. Merlin, it seemed like years ago now.
"Sirius and Narcissa will live as well," Lily Luna stated confidently. "I have memories of their wedding."
"Wedding?" Harry said incredulously. Then started to laugh, he just couldn't help it. "And after all the moaning and threatening he did after I betrothed them! That's score one for engaging people behind their backs!"
Their confabulation was interrupted by the tell-tale sounds of mayhem and madness on the other side of the door.
"Here they come again," Naho declared, brandishing her cherry-wood wand.
True to form, the creatures swelled and made another charge. Harry let the fear run wild and the rat free, barely holding on to any sense of self as he leapt forward half crouched over. Multitudes of Inferii were finding out firsthand how a cornered rat fights. He tore through their ranks with wand and fist and teeth, but no matter how hard he fought, he and the rest of the group was hard-pressed by the sheer number of their opponents. For every one that was cut down, another two appeared to take their place. Our plucky heroes were in danger of being overrun, until help arrived from a most unexpected source.
"Flee before me, vile fiends! None can stand before my wand! Bwahahahahahaha!"
"Pandora?" Harry called. "Is that your maniacal laughter I can hear?"
The Inferii fell back in panic at an onslaught of barely-legal necromantic spellfire from their rear, shrieking as their souls were torn asunder. Trapped like rats between attackers in front and behind, the unit of creatures fell swiftly.
"Are you all right?" inquired their savour. To Harry's surprise, it was not his favourite blonde-haired mad scientist, but a tall, broad-shouldered youth of about the same age as the current Lily Luna. Sharp, handsome features; curly black hair, laughing eyes, nondescript wizarding robe. He casually kicked the quivering remains of his victims out of his path as he strolled over to the place of their last stand.
"Who the deuce are you … hang on," the face and bearing felt awfully familiar. A face from some long-ago memories, swirling around in Dumbledore's pensieve one dark and stormy night. "Tom Marvolo Riddle?" Harry asked in astonishment. His wand automatically swept upwards to cover this new threat.
"Got it in one, Pops! Except it's Tom Marvolo Malfoy," the man corrected. "Who else would it be, the Candy Man?" He grinned impishly (an extremely weird and dissonance-inducing sight on the face of a young Voldemort). "Hey, easy there," he raised his hands in surrender. "I'm on your side, remember?"
Harry's eyes narrowed. "Prove it, stranger."
"I just saved your lives from those vile things, whatever they are."
"Point," Harry conceded reluctantly.
"And I'm going to keep helping you until all the trash has been taken out."
"You are?" Harry said dumbly, utterly befuddled at this unexpected turn of events.
"Well duh," the man said sarcastically. "You are my Da after all."
Didn't Tom Riddle kill his father? And rather gleefully at that? His ever-helpful brain pointed out. Harry was not stupid enough to voice such a thought of course. He didn't want to be giving this 'Tom' in front of him any ideas. But that trail of thought was quickly derailed by him noticing a certain Device hanging around the man's neck.
"You have The Device?" Harry demanded, pointing with his wand. He knew he was being rude, but the situation was moving too rapidly for politeness.
"Duh," Tom said again. "How else did I get here?
"No, I meant where did you get it?" Were all people from the past or future so maddening to talk to?
"Aunt Lily Luna acquired it for me as a graduation present."
"And by 'acquired' you mean …"
"I mean she nicked it from the Ministry. Even knew where in the Minister's Office they were hiding it," he said in admiration.
Harry rolled his eyes. "Of course she did." He glowered at Lily Luna who grinned back unrepentantly. "You know you're a terrible influence."
"Eh don't be so hard on her, Pops," Tom defended his beloved aunt. "Those swots in the Unspeakables wouldn't know what to do with it anyway. Think about it: they invent two incredible, mind-defying, world-changing devices, the greatest discovery since time turners themselves. And what do they do with them? Lock them away in a cabinet and never touch them again!" He snorted. "Researchers! Hah! And those Unspeakables call themselves magiscientists! Research without practical application is not True Science!"
Harry sighed, heart sinking. There was no doubt this man had been raised in the company of Pandora Lovegood and Lily Luna Potter.
Lily Luna was eyeing Tom speculatively the entire time. "Dyu think you and your aunt could get me the second Device?" she asked hopefully. "Since the Ministry isn't doing anything with it and all …?"
"Don't even think about it," Harry growled menacingly. Only to be completely ignored.
"I'll see what can be done; least I can do for one of my favourite aunts!"
"Such a good nephew," the redhead purred.
"You mentioned graduation," Naho interjected. "What did you attain?"
"Nothing much: masteries in Potions, Charms, Transfiguration and Necromancy."
"Impressive," Naho commented. "I am the highest-scoring student of Mahōtokoro" she gestured to her golden school robes, "and that is a feat I would struggle to achieve. How old are you?"
"Just turned 20."
"You obtained four masteries by the time you were 20!?" Harry yelled in disbelief.
"Well, yeah," the man shrugged nonchalantly. "I did have Aunt Hermione, Aunt Pandora and Aunt Lily as role-models and tutors, after all."
"And I see you've picked up some Japanese language ear and tongue studs," observed Naho.
"Naturally," he favoured the girl with a roguish smirk. "One can't go on an excellent adventure or bogus journey in past-Japan without bothering to learn themselves the language."
"Those are exactly my sentimonies," Harry replied, "but as fun as this little reunion has been, we have a few pressing –"
However the rest of the discussion would have to be tabled, as the oncoming onrush of onlooking zombies precipitated a rapid redeployment of their forces. The increasing magical and physical exhaustion of the group quickly became evident as they were forced to fall back farther and farther along the corridor. Even Tom's powerful curses didn't slow their attackers as much; the wily beings had started to use the flayed and severed body parts of their fallen comrades as humanish shields, blunting the effects of necromantic magics. They also began to rely on ranged attacks more, hurling pieces of furniture, lumps of stone, wooden beams and even pieces of the dead at their foes from a distance. The team was forced to use a lot of magic shielding, banishing and transfiguration to deflect the hail of debris. But this was wearing down their remaining reserves of energy.
"Final room!" announced Lily Luna as they reached the end of the corridor. "Alohomora!" She poked her head inside and looked around. "No other doors or windows. End of the line!"
A hasty series of soul-imprisonment jinxes from Harry and Tom and the front wave of attackers were frozen, allowing the group to pile into the small-sized bedroom. It contained nothing but a bed, a bedside table and a wardrobe.
"Wanna see a neat trick?" asked Tom, grinning ferociously. He leaned out of the doorway, wandpoint first. "Remember the Alamo!" he shouted. He muttered a few incantations under his breath, and suddenly the entire corridor twisted and twirled like a kaleidoscope, before the ceiling and walls simultaneously squished inwards, crushing the inhabitants like ants. The room rocked and shuddered at the impact of part of the palace's structure being warped so far out of its original design.
"That should hold them for a while," he said with satisfaction. "I'd like to see those walking undead bastards plow through 200 metres of rubble at least!"
They took a minute or two to lie down on the bed and recover their strength, while Tom sealed the door with every locking and shielding charm he knew, and then barricaded it with whatever furniture was available.
"Alright," said Harry grimly. "As Elle said, this is the end of the line. We've got our backs to the wall. Our loved ones are safe and sound underground, and I hope to Merlin that all the other innocents have managed to get out of this place in one piece. So when it comes down to it, if those bastards break through, half of us will hit them with every fire spell you've got: Incendio, Incendus Ventus, Fiendfyre, Flagro Flagello, Flammasectum, and whatever else. While the other half reducto's their way through one of the walls. Whichever one seems most likely to adjoin to somewhere we can escape from. Understood?"
The others nodded. Naho opened her mouth to say something when they heard an odd noise.
"Was that a squeak? Or a chirp?" Lily Luna inquired of the room.
"It came from the wardrobe," Tom said grimly, "as soon as I started levitating it." He cast a Hominem Revelio. "There are three persons hiding in here. Allohomora!" Backing away, he caused the doors to open, and the three persons to tumble out like an ungainly bundle of potatoes.
Naho's eyes widened in shock. "Your Highnesses!" She hurried forward to help up the Japanese monarch Shōwa Emperor Hirohito, his wife and their seven-year old granddaughter Nori-no-miya Sayako Naishinnō. The trio seemed shaken but unharmed. They nodded their thanks to Naho, but were too overwhelmed to speak. The little girl hid behind her grandmother shyly.
"Welcome to the party, Your Worshipfulnesses. Unfortunately this particular party are trapped like rats!" announced Tom. He glanced at Harry, "Sorry, Pops."
But Harry was too busy thinking to notice. Godric's gallstones, we're in a tight spot now. Having the Royal Family stuck here with us changes things a lot. We can't afford to start a conflagration or blow the building's supports out with them right next to us. Think, you Squib-for-brains! There's nowhere to run to! What would my future self do in this situation? Wait, that's it!
"Sorry for the rudeness, Your Highnesses!" he said, turning back to the monarch, his wife and granddaughter, who had huddled onto one of the couches. "But we're going to have to think four-dimensionally here!" Reaching into one of his mokeskin pouches, he called out, "Time turner!" One of the devices Hermione had filched from the Ministry popped into his hand.
Tom grinned. "Brilliant! Why didn't I think of that?"
"Everyone, grab hold tight!" Harry ordered, stepping over to the royal threesome and throwing the turner's golden chain over their necks and his own. "My apologies in advance for my presumptuousness, Your Majesties." Tom, Lily Luna and Naho grabbed hold of him firmly, just as the doors collapsed with a final, agonised groan. The furniture piled up against them as a final bulwark was shredded by the ravening hordes who burst into the room. Harry turned the device for a third time and pushed the release button. Just as the creatures lurched for the group, the world spun and shimmered and warped around them, and they were suddenly in a now-empty room. Well, empty except for the two shocked palace officials who regarded them with dropped jaws.
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"You have saved Our life, Lord Potter-Black-Malfoy," the Emperor intoned gravely. "And more importantly, the lives of Our wife and granddaughter. All three owe you a solemn Life Debt." He bowed formally to Harry, to the gasps of his retinue. "You have also given Us an opportunity to prepare Ourselves for this unprovoked and cowardly attack on Our person and Our seat of government."
Harry and his partners bowed low in turn. "Our lord and his retainers merely did what any loyal daimyō would do to protect his lord," Naho said formally. "There can be no debts for duty carried out."
The elderly man smiled in amusement. The door to the small bedroom opened and a burly man in full samurai armour was hustled in. "Lord Keibi, thankyou for appearing on such short notice," the Emperor addressed him. The soldier bowed respectfully. "We have received word that Kyōto Palace will be attacked within three hours of this time, in an attempt on Our life and that of Our Magical Council. Send out the alert and gather all available forces to repel them.
Lord Keibi started in astonishment. Rising to his feet he immediately said, "Your Majesty, we must relocate you to a secure location at once!"
The Emperor shook his head. "I'm afraid that will not be possible. Events are in motion that prevent such a course of action. However, there are three imposters in the palace posing as Ourself, Our wife and Our granddaughter. Find them and bring them to this room immediately."
Lord Keibi's eyes widened even further, then abruptly raced away.
"It is unfortunate what must be done," the Emperor mused to the room. "But the laws of time cannot be gainsaid, is that not right, young magical student?"
"It is as Your Highness has said," Naho replied.
"We must remain here for this afternoon's audience, but you and Sayako should avail yourselves of this opportunity to find safety," the elderly man said gently to his wife. A short, silent conversation later, and the Empress arose, nodded to the foreigners, and left, granddaughter clutched firmly in her arms.
Within a few minutes, Lord Keibi and a squad of guards arrived, hustling in a bewildered and vociferously protesting trio.
"We found them, Your Highness. A most amazing duplication – may I have your permission to have them tested for glamours and polyjuice?"
"That will not be necessary, Lord Keibi. Thankyou, you may go. I'm sure you have many tasks to compete before our enemies arrive."
The soldier looked uncertain about leaving a group of impostors alone with the Emperor, with only two officials and a group of weedy gaijin youngsters. But he could not resist a direct order; hesitantly he bowed and left. The group of guards positioned themselves outside of the door.
"Who are you? And what is going on here?!" demanded the other Emperor.
"I am truly sorry, but it must be done. All will become clear shortly," the Future-Emperor nodded at Harry.
Eyes widening, Harry suddenly realised what he was supposed to do. Slashing his wand up, he dropped the royal trio with a series of stunners, then carefully levitated them into the wardrobe, locking it with a weak Colloportus.
"Never thought I'd ever be doing that," he murmured.
"Nor We," chuckled the Emperor. "Now We must meet with the Magical Council and entertain your Past-Selves. You must stay out of their sight, of course."
A sudden buzzing filled the room. "Guess that won't be a problem for me," Tom said cheerfully. "Looks like I'm outta time. TTFN. Tootles!" And with a flash, he was gone.
Harry shook his head. "I'm never going to get used to a happy, smart-alecky Tom Riddle," he muttered to himself. Pulling himself together, he addressed the Emperor. "May I request that when the invasion occurs, your guards collect my colleagues and bring them to the Magical Council for their protection?"
"Of course."
"Then, with your permission, I'd like to set up some of my own defences around the palace."
The Emperor looked intrigued but nodded his assent. He motioned for his two officials to accompany them.
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Harry, Lily Luna, Naho and their two escorts re-united by the ceremonial lake.
"It's done – I've laid out all of our AK-47's and blasting stones around the perimeter. It's a total minefield!" Lily Luna announced. "This place is far larger than I'd imagined, took forever getting around."
"There are muggle-repelling wards and other mechanisms designed to conceal the full scale of the palace and grounds," the younger of the two officials explained. "There are also many stories underneath the historical buildings."
Harry nodded. "Just like the entire country. Thanks, Elle, good work!"
"I've transfigured the statues of lions, nio and asuras into animate guardians who'll eviscerate any invader. The magic should hold for at least four hours," a rather tired Naho reported. "But my magic is spent. I will be no good to anyone for several days."
"Thanks for your efforts, Naho. And you can sit the rest of today out. As for me, I've convinced Sallie the basilisk what a great idea it is for her to eat all of the white, green-haired human-like things that will swarm the place like ants before long. She's pretty hungry so it wasn't hard to convince her. It was hard to convince her to wear the glasses and nose again, though," Harry added. "Told her that turning everyone to stone would prevent her from eating them."
"Where is Sallie?" Lily Luna asked, looking around.
"Right behind you."
The girl turned and squinted but saw nothing out of the ordinary. She was out there, she knew, somewhere in that sea of manicured lawn – hunkered down, barely breathing, and every inch of her 50 feet loaded with deadly poison.
"Down next to the lake. You won't see anything unless she wants you to. My girl's very good at camouflaging herself," said Harry proudly. "I'm not surprised, she managed to sneak all around Hogwarts in my second year without ever being seen."
"Now we just need a vantage point to watch all the fun," observed Naho.
"Good idea. Our other selves will be arriving soon, so we'd best get out of sight now."
"They came in through the tunnel from Omi no Sumi remember?" Naho reminded him. "Not through the gardens."
"Oh yeah," Harry replied sheepishly. "Forgot."
Lily Luna asked one of the officials, "Can you take us to a place where we can see the whole grounds?"
The two men shared a glance. "The observation deck. Follow us," the elder replied.
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"You may as well come out, Mr Tom Malfoy – I can feel your magical aura," Harry announced suddenly.
His companions looked around Kyōto Palace's observation deck in surprise.
A sheepish young man cancelled his disillusionment and strolled over to the others. "Nice one, Pops. Guess I've got more stealth practice in my stars."
"Ready for all the fun, Tom?" Harry asked mildly.
Tom eyed him. "So you know what's going to happen, do you? Hmmm. You're taking this whole thing so well; if I didn't know any better, I'd say we've met before."
"You haven't met me, but I've met you. And I won't have met you, but you'll have met me," Harry replied, smilingly.
Tom slowly started to grin.
"Here they come again," Naho declared, brandishing her cherry-wood wand.
The six observers watched with avid interest as the wards were hit on multiple sides, rippled and repulsed the attacks. They were hit again, shrieked in pain and finally shattered. The high, thick stone walls surrounding the palace complex blew apart in 20 different places. A mass of grunts surged forward from all gaps simultaneously, testing the grounds for traps as they approached.
"This was well-planned," Harry commented. "Whoever's organised this has strategic and tactical talent; and probably some military, police or Auror training."
"Now?" asked Lily Luna.
"Not just yet. Wait for the cannon fodder to pass through. We want to nab the proper troops when they arrive. The animated statues can handle the rest."
They watched as the next wave poured through. These were the Inferii armed with spears, katana, daggers, bows and arrows.
"Fire when ready, Commander!"
Lily Luna grinned, and pulled out a series of control stones. She tapped several with her wand. "AK-47's away!" Throughout the hordes erupted a series of green explosions. Bodies flew in all directions. Many of the zombies dropped to the ground instantly.
The Killing Curse was a bizarre hybrid of a spell: contact with inanimate objects triggered explosive concussive blasts; contact with animate beings immediately separated the soul from the body without damage to either. No matter whether the soul was an organic part of that body or was entrapped in it by means of necromancy. Which made the Killing Curse extremely effective against Inferii that still contained a soul or similar inhabiting will.
Tom whistled as he observed the carnage.
"Just a little something whipped up by your Aunts Hermione, Pandora and Lily," Harry said proudly. "Don't ask me how they work though. Magical theory and enchanting aren't my strong suits."
"What is your strong suit?"
"Blowing things up, and flying around," Lily Luna answered for him.
Harry grinned. "Yep. What she said. And on that note, blasting stones!" he declared. He'd waited until the newly-blown gaps in the ranks were refilled by new troops.
Lily Luna tapped the remaining control stones. Another series of explosions, this time an angry red, rippled out through the masses. "Blasting stones, away! That's the lot of them!"
"I've just had an idea," Harry placed his bag of holding on the floor and opened it up. "Tell me when my other self and Sirius have gone back inside the palace." He raced inside.
Tom raised an eyebrow at the dilapidated colostomy bag. "Do I even want to know?"
"I'll tell you later. Look!" Lily Luna pointed. Far down below, they could see a tiny Peter Pettigrew and Sirius Black hacking and burning their way through the white creatures.
"Energetic ain't they?" he drawled. Then his eyes widened in shock as bright wave of fiendfyre rolled out into the oncoming masses, sweeping the hapless beings away like a crimson tsunami. "Gah!" The sickening stench of burning bodies could be smelled even from their great height. On the other side of the palace, they could see Sallie charging into the army, biting, crushing, petrifying and chomping her way through.
"That's it," Naho stated. "They're back in the palace."
Lily Luna grabbed the opening of the bag and hollered, "Clear!"
"Understood!" came Pettigrew's distant voice. "Stand back, everyone!"
The others doubled back, dragging the two hapless officials with them. From the bag came a soft rustling sound, the suddenly the opening expanded to the size of an archway as a horde of black-cloaked shapes poured out like thick, black, gravity-defying molasses, their high-pitched keening driving the onlookers as far back from these beings as they could get. Like a great black cloud of bats, at least 100 shadowy demons descended onto the white army below, darkness went with them, and they cried with the voices of death. With great gusto, the terrible creatures began to gorge themselves on the souls below.
"That … Dementors … sweet Merlin's posing pouch!" whispered Tom in shock.
"You'd best be off, Tom," Harry commented to the young man, emerging from the bag with the air of smug satisfaction. "Time to go meet the other me and save my life!"
Tom managed to recover himself, and grinned cheekily at his would-be father. "Always a pleasure to serve, Your Worshipfulness!" He mock-saluted and trotted off down the stairs.
"Uh, is this going to be okay?" Lily Luna asked hesitantly. "I mean, what's stopping the Dementors from running loose and causing havoc throughout Japan?"
"Me," Harry replied firmly. "I've already made a deal with them: they only eat the white-bodied monstrosities and come back to their nest in the bag once they're done. No wandering off downtown Kyōto, no Kissing any natural human."
"And if they do not adhere to these terms?" asked Naho, staring at the carnage down below. Those attackers who had not made it inside the palace by now were slowly being encircled by the Dementors on three sides, and from the fourth side by a very large, very fast and very hungry basilisk. Airborne Dementors continuously dive-bombed the confused crowds.
"Then me and my friends from the Necromancy Guild hunt every single one of them down and give them an up-close-and-personal introduction to the Flown Charm."
"Won't that just encourage them to flee far away, beyond your reach?" Naho queried.
"Necromancy is a very broad field with a very large range of spells. Some of which are specifically designed to recall Dementors, force them to congregate at a place of your choosing," Harry explained. "It's how the Ministry was able to imprison them all at Azkaban, or force them to patrol Hogwarts, or force them to go to my house at Privet Drive." He shivered at the memories. "At least until they all up and eloped with me. I doubt the spells are strong enough to recall them all the way back to Britain, but they're certainly strong enough to recall them all from the Kyōto area and surrounding provinces."
They watched for another hour or more as the carnage ensued.
"Hey, isn't that Sirius and Narcissa?" Lily Luna pointed at the tiny figures racing across the field of battle, avoiding the swirling masses of intermingled black and white figures.
"Yes; and your past self and friends," Naho confirmed. They watched as the party of five crowded behind Sirius' Grim Patronus, which forcefully cleared a pathway through the Dementors.
"Skrewt-shite! I'd forgotten about them!" Harry cursed. "I hope I've got enough strength left for this," he muttered. "Expecto Patronem! 'Sirius, we're on our way!'"
A pale, silvery white mass struggled feebly out of his wand. The creature was an indeterminate blob of feet, antlers and tail. It gave them a resigned look and then floated slowly towards the retreating figures off in the distance, quickly joined by Lily Luna's butterfly. Given her own state of near-magical exhaustion, Lily Luna's Patronus was not in much better shape than Harry's.
"Come on," he said tiredly, grabbing his bag. "We've got to go give them a hand."
.