Disclaimer: All characters, names, settings etc belong to their respective copyright holders, only much of the convoluted plot and a few characters and some objects are mine (such as Night Wolf and all characters inside Night Wolf except Brigadier Lethbridge Stewart).
Chapter 12 – He's Harry Potter?
The Brigadier looked around with some relief, they were at the right coordinates.
Harry Potter was looking around a little dazed.
"Let's walk and talk shall we Harry?" He offered gesturing the not so well trodden path.
"Fine, as long as you don't try to kill me." Harry Potter said nonchalantly, though he gestured towards the Brigadier with his wand.
"I won't…" He chuckled. "I expect you have some questions." He stated, the Brigadier would have been surprised if the young man didn't have questions despite the calm way he had excepted the last 10 minutes.
"Yep, that pretty much sums it up. But let me set some things out first." Harry Potter stated, Lethbridge Stewart nodded allowing Harry to say all the things he was thinking out loud for confirmation of his theories and whatever, he might do the same in his situation.
"You just helped out fighting Death Eaters. Therefore you're probably not one of them. You're not from the ministry or the order. You know what or who people who have magical ability are." Lethbridge Stewart couldn't help but interrupt at this point.
"I thought you liked to refer to yourself as wizards and witches?" Or that was how everyone who was a regular wand user referred to themselves and 'their world' prior to joining UNIT and Night Wolf, the Sorcery department didn't make such restrictions and assumptions.
Harry Potter's answer wasn't what he was expecting, though he was coming to expect the unexpected of this young man.
"I've recently discovered that you don't necessarily need to be a wizard to do magic." He paused looking back at Lethbridge Stewart. "Which brings me to your weapon, obviously magic," He reasoned logically. "That was a Stupefy or something like it. We just went through something which was neither apparating and it wasn't a portkey." He paused turning back onto the path. "So yes you could say I have a few questions, but it will help if they come with answers." Potter finished.
The Brigadier made a decision at that point, he'd already made it however he decided to commit himself.
"I'm glad you're magically inclined Harry. Otherwise this would involve a long series of forms classifying all of this under the official secrets act. It still will, just warning you in advance…" He smiled. Potter just shrugged and seemed to be taking it all in his stride.
"Do you know who U.N.I.T. is?" Lethbridge Stewart paused, some people did know…or had heard of UNIT, it was best to correct their assumptions before you started to explain what it was…generally, but Harry gave him a confused look.
"United Nations Intelligence Taskforce. We deal with the unexplained, the odd, any threat, any location, no matter how far it takes us. Alien Invasions, outbreaks of interplanetary viruses, scandals and things not of this planet. Also magic, not to the extent your ministry deals with it of course…." Lethbridge Stewart continued but was marginally amused that this information Harry didn't just take in his stride…but the Brigadier pushed on nonetheless.
"I'm telling you this because we know about Voldemort." He stated.
"Ah ha, So I needn't explain myself and all that?"
Lethbridge Stewart smiled to himself, so this was the Harry Potter…he wasn't totally sure…
"Your reputation precedes you and all of that?"
"Yeah." He shrugged again, like a heavy weight was on his shoulders…The Brigadier had felt like that on more than one occasion…though it was…worrying to see that expression on a young man such as Harry.
"No. We know about Voldemort we know bits about you." He paused and smiled lightly at him. "I didn't know what you looked like… so I never recognised you." This seemed to lessen the tension in the young man…marginally.
Still sensing the tension in the young man he patted down his pockets and found an enhanced telescope he'd been using for his trials earlier in the day.
Pulling out a piece of paper Lethbridge Stewart checked his watch and glanced up writing a set of coordinates and a day and time.
"Here, read this and look straight up." He extended the telescope and handed the paper and it to Harry.
The scrap of paper gave the coordinates for the Royal Space Core Ship (RSCS) Firefox's location, and obviously the ability to see it while it was within those coordinates.
"The Fidelius Charm." Harry whispered, the Brigadier raised an eyebrow, not everyone knew of the Fidelius Charm.
Lethbridge Stewart continued to walk allowing Mr Potter to adjust to that information that he had just absorbed.
Harry Potter…Lethbridge Stewart thought to himself, he'd browsed over the how of the end of Voldemort's last war, but most of it just seemed to be hyperbole, he'd left it mostly in Birmingham's hands until they could get genuine proof.
"A castle?"
"It's a hub of research, training, development and creativity…" The Brig smiled at Mr Potter's astonishment of it being a (quite large) castle…many of their visitors who came from UNIT or the UK's Armed Forces couldn't believe it…when they came in the 'front door' as they were…
But Winter and McGeoch's research early in Night Wolf's development stated the need and thus they had built their operations inside an old castle…they still had plenty of unused rooms inside the main structure and the structure they'd built inside some of the interior.
"Brigadier, while I'm fascinated, state secrets and all. Why bring me here?"
It was a fair question…he could have just…well he couldn't really, he settled for a smile.
"I'll let the Birmingham answer those questions. Suffice it to say I know enough about 'your world' to worry about Voldemort, and you. Would it make you feel any better if I told you Birmingham has worked in the Department of Mysteries?"
That always seemed to put, those that came to Night Wolf at rest…or very uneasy depending on the person.
Potter was nodding, he seemed a little stunned.
"Good. Well I, actually none of us went looking for you. But we accept all sorts at Night Wolf, and you Harry are just the sort. Birmingham mentioned that there were some people out there…though confirming it is always complicated…a lot of hyperbole surrounding you…but he did ask to keep an eye out…"
They walked and talked for a moment or two longer until they were at the water's edge.
"So how do we get across?" Harry asked indicating the large gap between the bank and the castle.
It had once been a moat which had long since flooded over and around to the lake.
"A boat, low tech…always best…stops people from stumbling over…"
The Brig said offhandedly as he watched Potter walk right up to the water gesturing with his wand.
"Glacieer."
General Lethrbdige Stewart watched as a spell shot out of Potter's wand and froze a large path between them and the castle's banks.
The boffins in the Sorcery and Strategic Devices said it was impossible…they'd obviously need to return to the drawing board…or at least find a more effective way to set up their 'fence'.
He gingerly followed Harry Potter, the ice looked quite thick and while it was cold it was still summer….
As he touched onto solid ground again the path almost imploded into the water, he allowed himself a satisfied smirk…it still worked…but it had allowed himself and Mr Potter onto the other side of the moat….
Walking over to the blank area he placed his hand on the brick panel, which wasn't a brick panel and muttered a select phrase relevant for this day and time.
The hologram shimmered away leaving a hardened herculanium door.
"Come on this way Harry." He said gesturing the door, it slid open as he approached.
The Brigadier lead Harry to his office wandering over to the decanter, Harry obviously knew something about whiskey.
"A drink Harry?"
"Yes a large one I think it's going to be one of those nights. I'm not even surprised anymore, just mildly awed." He said looking around, with a faint smile on his face.
The Brig gestured towards two comfortable chairs which were sitting by a large pot belly stove which he'd opened up as he'd walked in it gave the impression of a fire.
Harry started as though he was going to ask something but instead drained his glass.
"Please don't kill me if I fall asleep…" He trailed off, sounding more than twice his age…
"Don't worry…all your questions will be answered in the morning…"
He drained his own glass.
"But for now I need to answer some of my own Harry Potter…" He patter Harry on the shoulder and closed the stove it still gave off a large amount of heat into the room.
He considered moving Harry but he appeared to be used to falling asleep in chairs…or curled up in small spaces…
General Lethbridge Stewart wandered through the halls of Night Wolf, it was well into the night, Birmingham would be at home, but there would still be the night shift in the Sorcery division and he could search around in the library.
He walked into the Sorcery division he found Patricia Jones, she was part of the apothecary division, but she also took various shifts in the sorcery division…
She looked up from her work.
"General…Scott was a bit worried you were out testing his new gadget for a while…he got your word from Firefox…"
He nodded.
"What can I do for you on this night?" She asked smiling.
"Harry Potter."
"Harry Potter?" She repeated grabbing the keyboard from the side of the bench and twisting the screen round and tapping a button which made the screens nearest to the Brig flare into life showing the search fields for Night Wolf.
"I ran into him…he's in my office."
"Oh…So…General?" She stuttered, slightly puzzled and curious.
"Yes Patricia…information, basic background on the young man…I remember some…a lot of information that came about at in the early 80s, when Voldemort was supposedly killed supposedly some baby…supposedly this Potter killed him…"
"Ok…give me second…"
"Thought it was a lot of rot…though this was all in that Prophet…Birmingham said he'd find out…he said they did something so he couldn't say certain things…though he did tell me…without so many words to look out for someone like Potter…" He trailed off again.
"Birmingham mentioned some sort of psycholeptic based mental intrusion that worked upon key words in his conscious and subconscious mind…" She pondered before continuing to type away at the key board.
"Ok here's all the 'wand users' papers at the time…pertaining to Voldemort…or more commonly…" A copy of a paper was up on the screen He-who-must-not-be-named, defeated by unknown infant!
"Then this comes about 2 weeks later…" He-who-must-not-be-named, Defeated by Harry James Potter…
"Harry stopped the killing curse…only a lightning bolt scar was the only evidence…" States Headmaster of Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry…
"What have we got on this Dumbledore?" General Lethbridge Stewart pulled over one of the comfortable swivel chairs and sat down, he'd heard of Dumbledore before…though not in any major way in the last 10 or so years…
"Just a moment…"
"Who's looking after Apothecary tonight…?"
"While Max is in Geneva? I've got some of the day shifts…Sam's taking it tonight, we're still running all the tests from P788, but I like to take the sorcery division occasionally, it's interesting…" She looked down at the screen worriedly.
"Ok here…Dumbledore, also known as Albus Wulferic Brian Dumbledore…he is the headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry…according to our sources he was appointed headmaster after someone called Dippet…no information on Dippet just some vague personal comments….should I search for…?"
"No…what did he do? Dumbledore I mean, what did he do during Voldemort's first war?"
"He was headmaster…we haven't got much else on him for that period…"
"After then Patricia…I've heard his name before…"
"Any clues Brigadier?" She asked with a smile, almost everyone called him that…they were like one large…well a laid back organisation, despite what they did and the stresses sometimes imposed upon them.
"Just after Voldemort's war…around and before the incursion into the castle…" He muttered.
"Right…" She punched in the dates…"Ok I've got it up." A list of dates, reports and personnel; both alive and dead appeared on the screen.
The Brig stared at the screen for a while looking over the names that were lost during the Ministry for Magic UK's program of practically genocide against the lycanthropes.
"Pull up the notes on Eilie's death." He muttered, Patricia nodded silently.
"He was killed with the substance which…" She started.
"Yes…what notes do we have about who was involved at the time?"
"The Ministry for Magic UK…" She started.
"What notes have we got on the system about the Ministry at that time…who was influencing them that sort of thing?"
"We'll have to go into unconfirmed and personal accounts for it Brigadier…"
"That's fine…" She nodded and started scrolling through the lists…
"Nothing odd here…various ministers with long and complicated names…the amount of Lords…there are hardly any dukes, counts or ladies for that matter…" She muttered to herself.
"Professor Winter is supposedly working on a political map…he has been since Birmingham took over…"
"And he's still working?" She exclaimed.
"Geneva…and I myself must admit I'd like to know how it all works…all this Wizengamot…how they fund everything…" He trailed off she nodded and continued reading for a few more minutes…
"Brigadier…got something, several unconfirmed reports state that Dumbledore frequented the minister's office and was often seen in several other areas that were used by the 'special squads'…" She trailed off… "There is one comment that suggests that it he who pushed for the squads…" She swallowed nervously.
"And he's in charge of a school…" He muttered. "I knew I'd heard of him before…"
"Sir?"
"Thank you Patricia…good night…" He rose nodding briefly to her and left for his quarters…
Doris knew that he was off 'doing his UNIT thing', he'd call in the morning and reassure her that the world being attempted at being invaded…again.
Tonight he wanted to try and sleep and forget the nightmares he'd been reminded of…it was never easy…