Disclaimer: I own nothing; Harry Potter and the elements of his universe all belong to J.K.Rowling. Firefly/Serenity and the elements of its universe all belong to Joss Whedon. I'm just borrowing the characters to play with for a while. This is for pleasure only, no profit is being made, and no copyright infringement is intended.
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE – Rings and Schools of Thought
"You mean those people want to hunt you down and kill you?" Mal clarified hiding a small smile.
"No," Harry argued. "Nothing like that. They don't want to kill wizards."
"They think these here demons are immortal, so no, killing ain't part of the plan," Jayne added with a grin. "Hunt, hurt, and cage? You betcha."
"So this is a reaction all wizards get?" Mal grinned. "I thought it was just you, Harry."
"It does make me wonder," Harry mused, "about how skewed the message got. I mean these were the descendents of magical families who were supposed to be on the lookout for new wizards or a magical planet. They knew where the current wizards were and knew it was up to them to wake the wizards at an appropriate time. And somehow that turned into looking for new wizards or a magical planet in order to keep them from rising again and attacking the poor ignorant mortals. And they believed the wizards were imprisoned because they were evil not out of necessity or choice."
"You think someone meant to sabotage them?" Jayne asked.
Harry frowned. "Maybe. But just as easily, the stories of wizards blowing people up and fearing the loss of their magic could have simply been misinterpreted. Maybe early on, the people who knew the real story got blown up themselves and their families or neighbors just… guessed at what happened. Who knows?"
"Does it matter?" Mal asked.
"Not a bit," Harry sighed. "The sad thing is that these people have been doing what they believe is right for generations, preparing to save the world from demons."
"They gonna be a problem?" Mal inquired doubtfully.
Harry shook his head. "Naw, we obliviated them both. They're completely certain they've just played cards for a couple hours. Wouldn't even recognize us if they saw us on the street."
"So you didn't find out anything useful?"
"Actually," Harry explained. "They were still looking for a magical planet, like Fullerton had been wanting. What they did if they found one may have been a problem, but at least we know they haven't located one."
"This mean you're humped?"
Harry shrugged. "I'm not sure they really knew what they were looking for, considering how messed up the purpose of the secret order of the squib turned out."
"You got any idea where to next?" Jayne asked curiously.
"Not really," Harry said. "I figure Ariel here's a nice place. Let's just idle here while we figure out the next step. We got some ideas on how to maybe utilize my vault, but nothing concrete. I'm gonna try and gather up a fair amount of information for Fullerton so he can figure out what they all wanna do."
Mal nodded. "We ain't in no hurry. And I gotta admit, so far, that little group's not all that different from the last herd of cattle we moved, besides the fact that they clean up after themselves a might better."
"I know Fullerton's considering going back into stasis too," Harry added. "We're not at that point yet, but it's a possibility."
"Would you be okay with that?" Mal asked and saw Harry's face contort in uncertainty. "I mean you been searching for them wizards a couple of years now. You finally find them, and they want to ditch you again."
Harry paused, thinking he was missing something more here.
Mal saw Harry's hesitation and asked, "Or are you thinking of going with them, if they take another long nap?"
"Course he ain't!" Jayne insisted and saw Harry wasn't jumping to answer. "Are ya, Harry?"
Mal saw Harry was still lost in thought and argued with Jayne. "These are folks like him. He may want to stick with others of his kind."
"Harry?" Jayne asked sadly.
"Hmm?" Harry finally processed the conversation going on in front of him. "Oh sorry. No, no. I'm certainly not intending to ever take another one of those long naps. I don't think they should either, but that's still just one possibility among many to consider. Let's not get too far ahead of ourselves."
"Hypothetically like," Mal continued. "If they did, would you be okay with that? Only wizard in the 'verse and all."
"Me?" Harry said with a shrug. "Yeah, sure. I mean I wasn't so much searching for wizards necessarily as I was looking for answers about what happened and why. Whether they go back to sleep or not… I got my answers. Not quite the ones I was hoping for, but I got 'em."
"Harry ain't going nowhere," Jayne said with a grin. "He's gotta stick around. We've got River."
Harry groaned and was mumbling, "Not you too."
"I meant for her brainy-training," Jayne explained.
Harry managed to hide his embarrassment at how quickly his thoughts went in the wrong direction. "I knew that."
Simon looked up and saw Kaylee and Harry walking towards him. Harry had an unnerving smile that left Simon trying to think of what he'd done to deserve whatever Harry had in mind.
"Hey Doc," Harry said, sensing the unease from the elder Tam sibling. "Got a minute?"
Simon nodded and glanced at Kaylee. "You're supposed to be on my side."
Kaylee rolled her eyes. "I am on your side. I just need to talk to you, and I wanted Harry here to help explain a few things."
"Alright," Simon said just before grabbing a hold of Kaylee and kissing her with all his might.
Harry just turned his head and gave the couple their moment, thinking at this rate he may not even need to confound the young doctor.
Kaylee was left breathless for a moment and Harry helped Simon catch her as she stumbled.
"Okay," Kaylee said looking at Simon. "Umm… that was lovely. But we still need to talk."
The group of three sat down, with Simon clearly trying to get closer to Kaylee than was advisable for pleasant conversation.
"Hang on, hot stuff," Kaylee said making sure they had some distance between them. She saw she had Simon's attention and explained, "Listen. The thing is these wizards are trying to figure out what makes people magical. Now with Harry's vault, they've also got access to the original planet now."
"Oh no," Simon whispered dangerously, shaking his head. "No way."
"Now wait just a minute," Kaylee insisted, sterner than usual.
"You've bewitched her, haven't you?" Simon said pointing his finger at Harry.
Harry said nothing just raised his hands innocently.
"You don't even know what I'm gonna say!" Kaylee argued.
"You're going to…" Simon trailed off and stopped at the look his girlfriend was giving him.
"Thank you," Kaylee snapped, inwardly feeling quite proud of herself. "Now, Dr. Fullerton explained to me that since you have the dominant M-gene and I have neither dominant nor recessive gene, that statistically it's more likely the baby won't have the dominant gene. But they know the key to making a magical person is not as simple as that. It has a lot to do with environment and magic, not just the science."
Simon was watching Harry's solemn face betrayed by the twinkle in his eye. "We are not going to move into Harry's vault. I refuse. I forbid it."
"Of course we're not," Kaylee argued. "That would be horrible, no offense to the goblins. I just wanted you to know, that I've decided to sell them my baby."
"What!" Simon gasped, a little too thrown off by the whole situation to remember he was suspecting a ruse.
"They just need to experiment on babies," Kaylee explained. "That's all. Harry assures me that there's a decent chance the thing'll end up mostly fine and we can still raise the little urchin. But even if it's not, we can just make another."
Simon was staring at his girlfriend in abject horror.
"If you want the money," Harry suggested to Kaylee. "You could probably sell that one too."
"Same price?" Kaylee asked Harry hopefully.
Harry nodded. "I don't see why not."
"But… but…" Simon stuttered. "That's our baby!"
Kaylee huffed. "Don't worry. You'll get a share of the money too. I'm not going fifty-fifty but we can work something out."
"It's a baby!" Simon insisted. "It's… it's…" He finally saw the looks on Kaylee and Harry's faces and groaned. "Oh god."
"Wow, Doc," Harry said through his snickers.
"I can't believe you!" Kaylee screeched. "You honestly thought for even a second I would sell our baby! That's just plain sick. You… you…"
"Oh Doc," Harry continued to chuckle.
"I didn't…" Simon stopped and realized he had no defense here.
"I had all these technical arguments ready," Harry grumbled. "Reasons on why this was necessary and you'd be doing a public service…"
"You make me sick!" Kaylee insisted as she got up and left, holding back her tears.
"But," Simon weakly argued as she left. "But…"
"Hmm," Harry commented as he watched Kaylee go. He turned towards Simon. "I guess the mood swings have started."
Simon just glared at Harry.
Harry shrugged, unconcerned. "They'll swing back. Though our plan certainly didn't include you so easily accepting Kaylee's declaration."
"This is your fault," Simon mumbled, not completely believing it himself.
"She been getting sick in the mornings?" Harry inquired.
Simon nodded. "Last three days, I've been on hair duty."
"Ahh," Harry nodded. "Holding her hair while she yawns in technicolor. One of the few jobs women agree men are well suited for."
Simon sighed. "Are you done with whatever unnecessary pain and drama you wanted to inject into my life?"
Harry saw the resignation on Simon's face and nodded. "What's on your mind?"
"I… I could use your help," Simon admitted, temporarily blocking out his opinion of the man in question.
Harry raised a curious eyebrow. "Considering how that just played out, I probably owe ya one. What can I do for you?"
"We're stationed on a nice planet, and I asked Inara but she told me I should talk to you," Simon rambled. "She reminded me of the fact that you're at least coming from the right gender and have over a century of successful experience and despite my personal opinions of you I should-"
Harry grinned. "This is really hard for you, isn't it?"
Simon stopped after being interrupted and looked at Harry. He finally admitted tiredly, "I need to go ring shopping."
Harry chuckled. "You're just a dripping bucket of romance, aren't you?"
"Will you help me or not?" Simon replied. "It's not like I know that many guys, and Mal and Jayne are probably more clueless than me."
"True," Harry admitted. "But it still might be fun if they came."
"So you'll do it?"
"Yes, yes, of course I'll do it, for Kaylee's sake if nothing else," Harry responded. "But we really need to work on your attitude here."
Simon looked at Harry curiously, trying to keep any distaste off his face.
Harry glanced behind him and cast a small privacy sphere. "You're not ring shopping in frustration and anger. You're going to ask the girl you love to marry you. The ring is a necessary part of that, but you really need to be a little bit happier about this."
Simon forced himself to smile brightly.
Harry saw he was losing him. "Before we get too far, are you doing this now just because she's pregnant?"
"Yes."
"No!" Harry yelled. "No, no, no!"
"Well not just because she's pregnant of course. I love her. I don't want to lose her. I want to spend the rest of my foreseeable life with her. But as to why specifically now-"
"No!" Harry insisted again. "I don't care if that's true! You never admit that out loud. When she asks you - and I assure you she is going to ask you - you tell her you love her, you tell her you don't want to lose her and you want to spend the rest of your life with her. But wanting to marry her has absolutely nothing to do with the pregnancy. Nothing!"
"I thought honesty was the-"
"Don't think!" Harry argued. "Thinking will only get you the couch."
Simon could tell how serious Harry was and just nodded numbly. "Okay."
"This isn't something you have to do," Harry explained. "This isn't something you should be reluctantly doing. And this isn't something you should have any confidence at all in doing. You seem to think this is a foregone conclusion."
"What?" Simon asked uncertainly.
"What are you going to do when she says no?"
Simon frowned. "She's not going to say no."
"How do you know that?"
"We've talked about marriage before," Simon explained. "I know how she feels about me."
"And of course things haven't ever changed or not gone according to plan says the doctor who had to steal his sister from the government and live life on the run with his pregnant girlfriend."
"You think she'll say no?" Simon asked in distress.
"We won't know until you ask," Harry said ominously. "We can work on how you're going to ask and when, while we hit a few jewelry shops."
"What do you mean how?" Simon inquired.
Harry turned to Simon in irritation. "You haven't even planned out how you're going to ask?"
Simon gulped.
"Did you piss Inara off and that's why she referred you to me?"
"I'm beginning to think so."
"Let's get the Captain in on this," Harry mused.
"What? Why?" Simon asked.
"Who's known Kaylee longer than you?" Harry retorted. "Who's seen her before she got all bubbly and sweet on you? Who can keep her busy while you get all your ducks in a row?"
"My ducks?"
"It's a saying," Harry explained. "Don't ask me. I don't know where it came from. You go apologize to Kaylee, I bet her mood's probably swung back by now. Me and the Captain will come get you in just a few minutes."
Simon was hugging Kaylee, still confused on why she had apologized to him. He looked up, saw Mal and Harry striding towards them, and wondered why in the 'verse he was just trusting Harry's lead on this one. Then again, 115 years of happy marriage is kind of hard to argue with.
"Listen Kaylee," Mal began while thinking Harry's idea was a pretty good one even if they didn't need to keep her busy. "I been thinking. We got a little time and money now. You remember that thing we kept putting off fixin'?"
Kaylee released Simon and stepped back. "The catalyzer coupling reg shock covers?"
Mal blinked unaware there was something specific she had in mind. "Uh… yeah, that sounds about right."
"The patch job on it will hold up for a while longer," Kaylee explained.
"See that's just it, though," Mal continued. "You got the bun in your oven, and pretty soon you won't be as able to fix things like the catalyzer coupling covers. I figure, we got the time, the money, and your physical capability, so we should get Serenity humming as best we can. Let you stay off your feet when you need to be off 'em."
Kaylee agreed and smiled all traces of her upset mood gone. "Aye, Cap'n. I know a shop not far from here."
Mal wryly grinned getting a kick out of this every time he said it. "Go on and use the company card to pay for everything. And anything else that'll keep her running good you think we may need. Don't need her pretty, just running as smooth as possible."
Kaylee nodded. "Shouldn't take me more than twenty minutes to get there and back. But will probably take a couple days to get them all stripped and fitted back in."
"Well, we ain't going nowhere for a couple days then," Mal agreed. "Thanks Kaylee."
Harry found out from Fullerton that a half dozen of the wizards had left to do some grocery shopping. Harry had given them a couple ration packs out of the stash from the Blue Sun job, but apparently they were hoping to get some proper food. Harry left his communicator with Fullerton and showed him how to search through the archives of information on the planets. Harry doubted Fullerton would find anything but wished him luck. Now with the wizards all set and Kaylee busy for the rest of the day, Mal, Simon, and Harry made their way towards one of the more famous jewelry boutiques, Hannigans.
"So how much should I spend?" Simon asked as he was browsing over the display cabinets.
"The popular theory is approximately four months salary," Henri, the Hannigans employee in the double-breasted suit assigned to keep an eye on them, answered.
"Four months now?" Harry asked. "Yeesh. Times change. Women get greedier."
"I'm sorry we don't carry a clearance section, sir," Henri snootily commented towards Harry.
"Don't worry about the price," Harry commented. "No matter what this little sales boy might pitch, the size only matters to a certain kind of girl. And that ain't Kaylee. You just gotta find the right ring. Worry about the cost when you've decided."
"That diamond's huge!" Mal commented looking at one particularly ugly monstrosity.
Harry glanced over and winced. "Excellent choice for the man desperately trying to compensate."
"You get something like that for Kaylee," Mal said looking at it closer. "And I can just imagine the happiness she'd have to fake for you."
Simon looked at it. "How much is that ring?"
"If you need to ask, then that's not the ring for you," Henri commented.
"If you've got any taste at all," Harry amended. "Then that's not the ring for you. But if you're curious, I'd guess that ring costs about 175."
"Thousand?" Simon clarified aghast.
Henri nodded, slightly impressed. "You have a good eye. It is actually 172,000."
"Like I said, Doc, it's not about the price," Harry explained. "And quit seeking out the ones you know ain't right. See if you can find something she'll love."
"It's a ring," Simon commented. "How am I supposed to know if she'll love it?"
"Sacre bleu," Henri swore. "You are hopeless. If she is willing to take you, do not let her go."
Simon winced. "I've never been very good with women."
"Alright, Simon," Harry replied. "That's cute and works once. You probably used it up years ago. And Henri, ease up. I know there's no way that you've not dealt with far more clueless men than us."
"True," Henri admitted. "But that is why rings like that one sell so well." He finished pointing towards the tacky massive diamond.
"I don't even know what I'm doing here," Simon mumbled.
"Me neither," Mal echoed.
"Henri," Harry said grabbing onto both Mal and Simon to keep them from fleeing. "Don't you have some more tasteful, elegantly designed rings? Simplicity is not a bad thing and money shouldn't be an issue."
"If you want my opinion," Henri answered. "Some of our nicest pieces are the refurbished and restored antique rings in those cases over there."
Henri walked around the glass cabinets and pointed out some of the more unique rings to Simon.
"Harry, why am I here?" Mal asked.
"To help Simon?"
"Really?"
"Because he dislikes me, and he respects you?"
"Really?"
"To get something for Inara?"
"Okay, that's it," Mal grumbled. "I'm heading back to the boat."
"Wait, Captain, Mal," Harry said attracting his attention. "Look, have you even noticed what she's been doing lately?"
"Nothing," Mal answered. "She, Zoe, and River have been meeting the wizard folk and just hanging around the ship, cooking a few meals here and there."
"Yeah," Harry said. "Doesn't that tell you something?"
"Harry, I'm not in the mood to figure any of this out. Just spit out whatever's on your mind."
"Look, I could care less if you and Inara dance around the obvious all of your lives," Harry commented. "Well, okay maybe that's not true. But the point is, we're on Ariel, killing time, and she's not made a single move to pick up a client. She hasn't even really considered it in months. She's got plenty of contacts, and I've seen how many requests have been piling up in her inbox, but I think she got a kick out of our little jaunt to the other side of the 'verse. She likes being a part of the crew, and she's been avoiding the one thing that you can't stand. I'm not saying you should be shopping for anything like the Doc is, but it wouldn't hurt to make her feel appreciated, you know? More like crew, less like a tenant."
Mal paused. "She hasn't contacted anyone, has she?"
"I didn't say that," Harry corrected. "If she fell off the face of the Companioning world, she'd lose the part of her that she thinks is most useful to the crew. She's just not accepting any of the calls that make you scrunch up your face in disgust, kinda like you're doing right now."
"So what are you saying?" Mal asked tiredly.
"I don't know what I'm saying. Just pointing out what I've noticed." Harry paused and couldn't help himself. "Sweetie." Harry hurried over to see if Simon was having any luck.
"Hey," Harry commented. "Those look more like Kaylee."
Simon nodded. "I'm really tempted by the one with the rubies."
Harry looked closer. "Those are rubies?"
Henri nodded and explained, "The setting would be destroyed if we tried to replace them."
"They kinda look like strawberries," Harry commented dubiously.
Simon nodded. "That was my thinking."
"Oh, ohhhh," Harry realized. "Good call, Doc. There may be hope for you yet."
"Let's not go overboard," Henri added with a small smile.
"Captain," Harry asked, motioning with his head. "Come check this one out."
"You found a winner?" Mal asked.
"What do you think of that one?" Harry said pointing.
"It's a ring," Mal observed.
"For Kaylee?" Harry inquired.
Mal shrugged. "She likes red."
"That's one heck of a strong endorsement," Harry mockingly commented. "How about it, Doc? Any of these others speaking to you?"
Simon shook his head. "I think that might be the one."
Henri helpfully supplied, "It costs twenty-seven thousand, five hundred credits."
"Or not," Simon added as his eyes bulged out.
"Don't get cheap on us now," Harry scolded. "You've got that much, don't you?"
"That's more than half my savings," Simon commented. "That's even more than my blood analyzer cost!"
"Whoa!" Harry said wagging his finger.
Mal winced. "I probably know as much about women as I do about your blood analyzer, but even I know that's not a comparison you should ever be making."
"A ring less than the one you want to give her, invites her to say no," Harry commented. "And never mention the cost compared to your own toys. If you want, I can spot you a loan."
"No, I've got the money," Simon whined. "It's just it feels like this is a lot of money that I'm throwing away on some purposeless little bauble that's nothing more than a symbol for our relationship."
"And so cheaper is the way you want to go?" Mal mumbled.
"Shhh!" Henri hushed them both up. "While that may all be true, do not risk saying it aloud where a female might overhear. This is just the way it is. And rather than risk a gender war we would never win, you need to step up to the plate and be a man."
Harry nodded as they all whispered to each other. "In the old days, a man used to have to cut off one of his testicles to prove his love and claim his bride."
"You just made that up," Simon argued.
"Did I?" Harry asked leaning closer. "Did I?"
"It's true," Henri agreed. "Now doesn't that price look much more reasonable?"
"Think it over," Harry said patting Simon on the back. "It's only one of the most important decisions for your future. Ever."
Harry turned to Mal. "See anything for Inara?"
"See anything for River?" Mal retorted with a grin.
"Are you implying my relationship with River is similar to yours with Inara?" Harry replied.
Mal looked over at Simon who was watching them both now. "I don't wanna know about your relationship with River."
Simon turned back towards the engagement ring with the rubies.
"But I saw a shop across the street that looked a bit more like the sort of gift I could get for Inara," Mal commented wondering where the over-protective brother in Simon went.
"Oh yeah?" Harry asked. "What was that?"
"Gun shop," Mal replied with a grin.
"Gun shop?" Harry asked curiously.
"Gun shop," Mal repeated confidently.
"Gun shop," Harry nodded in agreement.
Henri sighed. "And people say romance is dead."
Mal grinned. "What do you think I need the gun for?"
"We'll be across the street, Doc," Harry said. "Take your time. We can come back in a day or two. Check a few more shops if you like. No rush."
Simon shook his head. "I've decided. I'm getting it."
"Excellent choice, sir," Henri grinned in delight. "I will go get the paperwork."
"I'll come get you when I'm done here," Simon said, grinning at Harry and Mal.
Mal led Harry across the street and back towards the semi-automatic hunting section.
The clerk helping them pulled out a number of small firearms. Mal was examining them in turn and said to Harry, "See I figure, if she wants to feel like part of the crew, best thing to get her is a gun."
"You know you can't give away firearms," the clerk warned with a worried look on his face.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Harry waved him off. "Can she handle a gun?"
Mal nodded. "Her training covered many of the more unusual weapons, but she knows how to point and squeeze." Mal picked up a small one with a laser sight. "You think she wants a lightweight one that's a bit girly?"
"I'm serious," the freckle-faced clerk said in a cracked voice. "The only one licensed to even carry the gun will be the authorized buyer."
"We heard you," Mal said ignoring him looking at some of the other guns. "Actually, that's a good point. We going to have headaches over the waiting period here?"
The young man weakly explained, "There's a standard 10 business day waiting period-"
"Nope," Harry interrupted to answer Mal. "We shouldn't have any problem."
The clerk tried to assert himself. "Am I going to have to get the manager?"
"No," Harry said glancing towards the clerk. "Not unless you want to. Hey, do you guys do engraving?"
"Oh yes," the clerk answered liking that question much more. "We have a number of ways to personalize your hunting equipment."
"Engraving?" Mal asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Just something special," Harry added. "Too often, giving a gun as a gift is getting rid of the evidence or a piece you picked up off a dead guy."
"You cannot give firearms as gifts," the clerk reiterated, "It's against the law."
"I'll take this one," Mal said liking the feel of the lightweight semi-automatic. "On the handle here, let's inscribe 'Inara' on one side, and 'Serenity' on the other."
"Nice choices. Simple but certainly making it clear she belongs," Harry said slightly impressed.
"We can do that, but before we get any further, we need to complete the paperwork on your authorization and licensing," the clerk asked.
Harry put a hand on the Captain stopping him, "Go ahead and run your quick-check on General Manfred Asbach."
Mal looked at Harry and mouthed 'Manfred Asbach?'
"I need to see some identification," the clerk explained.
"Just run on it the General," Harry assured. "It'll ask you for an ocular."
The clerk did as ordered and let out a few surprising whimpers and gasps. He came back with an ocular scanning gun. "If you're the one purchasing the gun, I'll need to scan your iris."
Mal glanced at Harry, who just nodded, and let the clerk scan his eye. The clerk looked back at his screen as a result and gulped loudly. "Sorry for the inconvenience Special Agent… Mal."
Mal was fighting a smile and nodded. "Understandable."
"The engraving will take a little time, but you can pick it up after 10:00 AM tomorrow," the clerk nervously explained. "If that's okay."
"That's fine," Mal said. "Can I pay for it now?"
The clerk whimpered and feared having to tell the Special Agent that he had to pay when he picked it up and signed for it.
"Boo!" Harry shouted lunging towards the frightened clerk.
Mal just shook his head when the scared man fell backwards in terror. "You're evil, Harry."
"Oi!" Harry said looking at the Captain. "Respect your superior, Special Agent Mal."
"We've been searching through all the records of the planets that we can," Fullerton explained to Harry. "All the scientific measurements, the local periodicals, anything that might give us a clue as to whether there might be signs of magic."
"Yeah," Harry nodded. "And?"
Algernon shrugged tiredly. "Nothing. Not a sign, not a peep, not even unbelievable stories of strange bursts of adrenaline."
"That's what I was afraid of," Harry said.
"Yes," Fullerton agreed. "I did not have strong hopes after your admittance of looking for similar things, but I've not given up yet. I will continue to search if you don't mind."
"I'll want my communicator back but if I'm not using it, by all means," Harry replied. "Search to your heart's content. Come to think of it, we should go and pick you up one of your own. I bet Mr. U would be willing to clone himself into it for you. He's constantly on the lookout for things that might interest us."
"Extremely useful fellow that Mr. Universe," Algernon commented. "If a bit argumentative."
Harry nodded. "He was pretty high maintenance at the start, but these days he can usually take care of himself. So what's the plan then? What're we doing?"
Fullerton was rubbing his chin. "Can I assume you're willing to offer the use of your vanishing cabinets and vault for the good of wizardkind?"
"As long as you've got me convinced it's for the good of wizardkind, sure thing, you bet," Harry answered. "But as far as the vault is concerned, we gotta completely respect the goblins' wishes or needs also."
"Of course," Fullerton agreed. "So what would you think about creating a prestigious young children's school? One where we can be exclusive in our acceptance of applicants? And offer scholarships to the right candidates?"
"You think that's the best place to target?" Harry questioned.
Algernon nodded. "Things like an orphanage or group home are a possibility, but the younger we can go, the better. If we're willing to wait until they're old enough to attend pre-school or boarding school we can give priority acceptance to those carrying the M-gene."
"Perhaps a pre-natal care ward or wing for expectant mothers as well," Fullerton commented. "But without selective measures, we're only going to be having a handful of magical people if we're lucky. We can't exactly screen or reject at a hospital, and assuming our calculations were correct it's only a fraction of a percent of the population that's even a carrier of the M-gene. And that was before the many suicides."
"So then what?" Harry asked. "We just pass on the knowledge to the, if we're lucky, slightly magical children, who will continue on and do the same until a magical planet is found?"
"We also think we can look into attempting to fix the Earth," Algernon argued. "I know how impossible completely restoring the planet might be, but what about building a bio-dome of sorts, perhaps the size of a small city. We could use muggle technology to support a limited area, and we could even offset some of the costs by making the original planet a tourist attraction. The fact that we invited several M-gene carrying families to live there and work there would be a secret to those in the know."
"Careful there cowboy," Harry jumped in. "You guys and your secrets don't have the best track record."
"I suppose not," Fullerton ashamedly admitted. "But I believe we have learned from our mistakes. And the benefits of getting families to live on the only known magical planet would be worth the risk."
"All the while," Algernon explained, "we can be continuing to experiment and trying to discover what it is that makes Earth special, perhaps determine a way to replicate the effects."
"It sounds like you guys have done a lot of brainstorming but haven't come up with any concrete plans."
"We are still holding out hope for a better solution," Fullerton said.
Harry nodded and felt the same way. "Do you think you all are going to last long enough for these plans to begin to take shape? Including me, there's what, twenty-eight people capable of magic? And within less than a century we'll all be dead?"
"Our actions may depend on your own involvement," Fullerton said hopefully. "I think perhaps going back into stasis may be the wisest course of action. Getting most of these ideas in motion will take resources but not necessarily the resources of those of us with magic."
"So you are contemplating napping again," Harry said in disappointment.
"I'm not convinced it's a risk worth taking," Algernon explained.
"Mentors and Masters are required if we are to ever gain young apprentices," Fullerton argued. "Let alone bring the wizarding world back to its former glory."
"That was before we had the Hogwarts library," Algernon explained. "The knowledge will live on, even if we don't."
"I'm with Algie here," Harry argued.
"Why do you call me that?" Algernon asked. "It makes me feel like pond scum."
Harry smiled. "Perhaps you forget that your grandfather was a friend of mine. He told me a number of stories about his Great Uncle Algie, who I'm assuming is your namesake."
Algernon chuckled. "You and your glamour. It's hard to correlate the way you look with the old and powerful legend of Harry Potter."
"I could do without the legend myself," Harry wryly admitted. "But like I said, I'm with Longbottom here. It was a complete fluke that I woke up at all, and I thought I setup a system where it wouldn't be a problem waking me. And without me, you may have never woken up. And you also had a support system in place."
"I agree," Fullerton explained. "That's why I was considering modifying the spell to include its own expiration date, where it reverses the stasis and self-transfiguration after a century automatically. Or however long we intend."
"And risk waking up on a planet without an atmosphere?" Harry argued. "Humanity evolved to the point where we managed to completely hose the Earth-That-Was. I don't think it'd be that hard to mess up a planet again."
"Perhaps a rotation using a ring like you did," Fullerton considered. "Where if the wizard wearing the ring passes on, then the ring becomes the next wizard to wake up. There are options, but for example I do not foresee a need for a wandmaker in the near future. In the distant future on the other hand there will be a point, where we will definitely need one."
"Umm, there's a lot of ways a wizard wearing a ring could die and just set off a chain reaction killing everyone," Harry commented. "Like if the wizard with the ring is floating off into space, he dies, and the next wizard wakes from stasis, floating into space. Or maybe a fire, or the bottom of an ocean, or-"
"Yes, well," Fullerton interrupted. "That idea certainly needs some refinement. But I'm not convinced placing all of our hopes on solely the next fifty years or however long left those with magic have is the best idea either."
"Can't we wait a few years before we decide that?" Harry argued. "I mean let's come up with a plan, get a bunch of these ideas into motion, and depending on how things are going, only then consider setting up a stasis rotation or whatever seems logical?"
"I don't believe we should be going into stasis anytime soon," Fullerton explained. "But I fear the consequences of waiting too long."
"Understandable," Harry agreed. "Firewhiskey?"
"Yes please," Algernon nodded. "Talking about this always depresses me."
Harry poured them all a drink to nurse while they decided to dig deeper into their plans. Harry got out a small notebook and pencil and explained, "Mr. U's probably going to have all of this stored and organized for us, but writing it down still helps me to think these things through."
"Me too," Fullerton agreed enjoying the strong taste of the whiskey.
"This side of the twenty-fifth century hardly anyone writes things down anymore, though Duncan likes to humor me by printing out hard copies with handwritten typefaces," Harry commented. He opened the notebook to an empty page and wrote Dark Lord Muggle Defeating across the top.
"Okay then," Harry began. "So assuming there aren't any magical planets other than Earth-That-Was, because if we do manage to locate one, then all of these plans get thrown out the window."
"Can we make up a plan for when we do locate a magical planet?" Algernon asked slowly sipping his firewhiskey. "If only to make me feel better."
"Sure," Harry agreed. "But let's play the odds for now and work on actions we can definitely take. Alright then, what should be the first order of business?"
Fullerton sat back considering the question. "Are we working with nearly unlimited resources?"
Harry nodded. "In terms of money, I've acquired a few very significant family fortunes even while I was napping. Lots of gold, heirlooms, not to mention the increased value because all of our stuff would be classified as antiques from the original planet. There's quite a collector's market for items that predate the planetary move."
"How'd you manage getting richer while in stasis?" Algernon asked curiously.
Harry shrugged. "Same way I officially now own all of the Hogwarts remaining artifacts and library."
"You… own?" Fullerton clarified having not heard of this.
"I'm giving it all back to Hogwarts of course, or whatever magical school we can eventually setup," Harry explained. "But the only way the goblins could have saved it was to move it into my vault. And the only way people other than me could put things in my vault, was if they were mine."
"We have quite a few family fortunes among our members, but if you're willing your financial assistance will also be very welcome," Fullerton stated.
"Yes, yes," Harry continued. "I've never cared for money and if it's for the good of wizardkind, I've already said I'm on board. So financially, yes, we have lots of options. What do you think we should start with?"
"I believe an exclusive private school, where we offer scholarships, and invitations to known carriers of the M-gene is the best place to start."
"Build up a visible school in a public place?" Harry clarified. "While secretly using portals so they never know their dorms and classrooms are back on the Earth-That-Was?"
"An extensive period of time on the only known magical planet, especially during development is our most likely and logical hope," Fullerton explained.
"But we won't know just how magical they may be for several years, right?" Harry argued. "They could end up just a few steps above squibs?"
Fullerton nodded. "The progressively weaker wizards during the flight over support the popular theory that it is the adolescent years of development that have the strongest affect on magical growth."
"Considering the evidence we have," Algernon explained. "And the evolution of magical tuition at Hogwarts over the centuries, we believe it's probably the ages of ten to eighteen or so that are most critical."
"Muggleborns were nowhere near Hogwarts until their first year though," Harry argued. "And they've shown signs of accidental magic every bit as young as those who grew up in wizarding households."
"They were all capable of spells by the time they reached Hogwarts," Fullerton pointed out. "But the growth of power is clearly most significant during those years."
"Ideally we'd have them from conception onward, growing up on a magical planet," Algernon explained. "But I don't see how we can feasibly get a significant portion of them to live in your vault. Those of us here on Serenity maybe, but convincing others seems unlikely. A boarding school during what we assume are the most critical years though, studying, sleeping, and going to class on the original planet, now that we should be able to pull off."
Fullerton nodded. "It may mean they're in their late teens before we see signs of accidental magic."
"So we'd tutor them through their twenties?" Harry asked.
"We'd pull them into special programs as soon as they had any sign of magic," Fullerton answered.
"Periodic subtle tests for magic?" Harry inquired.
"We could slip them wands disguised as pencils so they're always waving them around while we keep our eyes open for sparks," Algernon suggested.
"That's a good idea," Harry commented writing down their plans. "So the boarding school where we invite known M-gene folks is our number one priority. What about a pre-natal ward or wing at a hospital? Or the group home and orphanage idea?"
"I think for now we should focus on the school," Fullerton argued. "We're not that many people and we shouldn't spread ourselves too thin."
"I agree," Harry said. "What about the bio-dome on the surface of Earth? Maybe should we at least work out the logistics of that one?"
"Absolutely," Algernon said setting his glass down. "It shouldn't take more than a small team to investigate how difficult it would be, the costs involved, what's even possible on the surface. If you don't mind us using your spacesuits, and we either hollow out a portkey area or find phoenixes willing to assist us, we can run preliminary tests any time."
"That's a good idea," Harry said. "We'd lose the protection of the vault in a designated portkey area, but we'd need the spacesuits to hold off the elements on the surface anyway."
"I just wonder how we could get everyone to touch a portkey through a suit," Fullerton mused.
"Err…" Harry looked at him oddly. "I was thinking we'd make the spacesuits into portkeys, triggered from inside by the people wearing them."
"Capital idea! You have a very astute mind for these things," Fullerton commented with a smile. "I have a habit of overlooking the obvious."
"The obvious," Algernon grinned. "That's usually my department."
"So the bio-dome on Earth-That-Was is the secondary plan, lower priority but perhaps concurrent to the boarding school?" Harry clarified as he was writing.
"Yup," Algernon agreed helping himself to more firewhiskey.
"One thing we can definitely do," Fullerton explained. "Assuming of course we're not inconveniencing the goblins and you don't mind, would be for the families that live in trunks to move the trunks into your vault."
"That's right," Algernon agreed. "The young Yaddenbergs and Liddys were both wanting to start families but elected to wait and go into stasis with us. They can get to work on that and hopefully the vault will incubate their magical babies."
"Both couples are in their late twenties and descended from completely magical families," Fullerton said. "The grandchildren of Jeremy Yaddenberg who is one of the magical wizards. The Liddys' parents did not survive."
"And you think you can convince them to grow up in a vault?" Harry clarified. "Surrounded by goblins?"
"Given the circumstances, I believe we're all willing to make sacrifices," Fullerton explained. "And we'd not force them to stay, or lock them in the vault. With the vanishing cabinets, they can leave easily enough. Perhaps setting up another pair of cabinets, wherever we choose to set up the public appearance of the school."
River and Jayne walked into the dining room and saw the three slightly inebriated wizards.
"Is that firewhiskey?" Jayne asked with a gleam in his eye.
"Help yourself," Harry said waving towards the bottle. "According to Ripruck, I've got dozens of cases of the stuff. I believe from the Burkes, so poison is a possibility."
"The Burkes?" Algernon asked warily, looking at his drink.
Harry nodded. "The Burke, Gamp, Griffiths, and Harris family fortunes all got voided when the last magical family members died and their vault protections failed. It's also where I got the vanishing cabinets."
Fullerton's eyebrows rose. "Those are some very impressive names."
"Should be," Harry commented. "Only the original vaults, from when the London branch of Gringotts first opened, were down that far. I should probably find out how much money I have with all of those."
"Digdug said it was probably between five and six thousand, closer to six," River answered sitting herself down next to Harry and looking at his notebook.
"Five or six thousand what?" Harry asked curiously, knowing he had to have a lot more galleons than that.
"Metric tons of gold," River answered calmly.
Both Jayne and Algernon had been drinking firewhiskey and founding themselves spitting it out at that answer. Fullerton was the unlucky recipient of both small alcoholic sprays.
"Whoa, sorry," Jayne apologized and turned to River. "Did you say tons of gold?"
River nodded. "Without a wizarding world, the galleon doesn't really represent anything other than the gold it's made of, so they just estimate value by weight. If you wanted, I'm sure they could get you an exact number."
"Don't bother. I know that's a lot, but it's not like it does us much good," Harry commented.
"Dark Lord Muggle Defeating?" River asked pointing to the top of Harry's notes. "Are you worried they're going demon hunting?"
"Naw," Harry replied and explained, "I just do better fighting Dark Lords, and we're trying to work out a plan for saving the wizarding world from becoming completely muggle."
River was looking through the list of plans and ideas. "I thought you were looking for a magical planet?"
"It doesn't look like there are any," Algernon said, trying not to stare, now knowing how obscenely rich Harry was. "Or at least no signs of any yet."
"So you're just giving up looking for now?" Jayne said, glancing over at Harry's notes.
"If there were one, there should be signs that cannot be easily explained," Fullerton offered. "Both Mr. Potter and I have been searching for information and have come up with nothing."
"What signs?" River asked tilting her head curiously and glancing at Harry. "How do you know a planet is magical? Who's to say Ariel here isn't magical? Can you talk to the planet?"
"That would be very helpful if we could," Algernon commented. "I wouldn't mind talking to Earth. I think we owe her an apology."
"I told you about accidental magic, didn't I?" Harry asked, seeing River's curiosity was piqued.
River nodded. "Uncontrolled magic fueled by emotions?"
"Exactly," Fullerton answered. "Other indications of the presence of magic could be unique creatures or new variations on creatures. Things like mutations may even be actually magic at work. Unexplainable phenomena or even seemingly normal occurrences affecting only a minute percentage of the population. The ability to see things most others can't, for instance."
River looked at Harry and the others. She started to chew on her lip and said, "I think I know a planet like that."
"You do?" Harry said perking up in surprise.
River nodded.
"It doesn't matter in the short term," Algernon said in frustration. "Terraforming will still take decades before the planet is even inhabitable."
"This planet's terraformed and everything," River said weakly.
"If that were true," Fullerton retorted. "Then there would have to have been signs of accidental magic."
River shook her head. "Not on this planet."
Harry saw the sadness in River's eyes and gasped. "You mean…"
River nodded.
"Oh," Harry said having not even considered that.
"Oh no," Jayne said shaking his head, finally understanding.
"This… this could be good," Harry said looking at Fullerton and Algernon with a grin.
"Gos se," Jayne said taking a big drink of his firewhiskey.
Fullerton saw the varied responses from the people and looked at Harry hopefully. "Just what are we talking about here?"
Jayne sighed and closed his eyes, knowing their immediate future was starting to look a lot uglier. "She's talking about Miranda."