A hand, shaking slightly, traced the polished marble of the grave. A cold rain dripped from the willow nearby and water rolled into the crevices of the headstone. 'Rose Mary Heming' the cold marble read, underneath was the inscription 'Finally Free' and the picture of a petunia. The woman standing before her grave was barely recognizable from the woman her coworkers, her family would expect to see. This was not the cold unfeeling Temperance Brennan that had the interns convinced she hated them. Her hair was tangled instead of immaculate and only the rain hid the tears on her cheeks. The circles under her eyes proclaimed her lack of sleep. She waited without speaking listening for the squish of approaching people.

"Mia?" a soft voice causes a brief smile to cross her face. She turned to face the messy haired man standing not far away. He was wearing black BDU's with a hand gun strapped in plain sight onto one thigh. His green eyes looked at her with concern.

"Harry" She breathed biting her lip. Squelching caused them both to tense but the sound of a familiar voice cursing a blue streak relaxed their muscles. A man with spiky brown hair with just a hint of coppery undertones and playful brown eyes squished into the view. "Ron" Temperance called quietly causing him to look up from his shoes. He smiled, though the concern reflected in his eyes, when he saw the two of them.

"Mia, Harry" The man greeted jovially. Then he turned serious, "Why did you call us?" He asked Temperance.

She bit her lip again, "I don't know what to do" she admitted finally; the years and their circumstances had softened her burning need to have all the answers, especially with these two.

"What's wrong?" Harry asked.

"You know that Heather Taffet was sentenced three days ago, right?" Heather Taffet, aka the Grave Digger had kidnapped Temperance and her colleague Dr. Jack Hodgins over a year before burying them alive in a large car before asking for 8 million dollars in ransom. Six months later she had kidnapped Temperance's partner Seeley Booth. They had to drop their cases against her in order to see justice done for a little boy who was not as lucky as they were in surviving the experience. She continued when both nodded their heads, "They're wondering how I can be so calm and I can't explain it to them, how much worse life can get being trapped in your own head for months or the effect of dementors. I can't explain anything without breaking the bonds of our secrets."

"We know, Mia" Ron said, moving forward to give her a hug as he was always the most tactile of the three of them.

"I'm hurting them with my silence" she whispered, "with secrets they don't even know I have and the things I can't say for fear of bringing up unanswerable questions. What do I do?" She asked with rare tears.

"We could break the secrecy bonds." Harry said slowly, "You would be free to tell them everything then."

Even before he finished speaking both the others were shaking their heads. "No" Ron said simply, "Those bonds are the only thing keeping you safe."

"I can protect myself, you know"

"They want to sacrifice you," Temperance said indignantly, "I highly doubt they would give you the opportunity to fight back."

"Well do you have a better idea?" Harry shot back.

Temperance sighed, "nothing short of leaving, which is my last resort. I just wish that we could bring our families in to the bond without damaging it" Harry opened his mouth but Temperance continued before he could speak. "I know it would take Clan creation for that to happen and those spells have been lost."

"It's not the spells that are the problem, I know those." Ron interjected to the others shock, "It's the amount of power and just how visible that would make us. It's the reason we became blood siblings instead of a clan."

"You know the Clan creation spells?" Temperance exclaimed.

Ron shrugged, "They're more like rituals, but they were taught to all of us kids."

"How much power are we talking about?" Harry interrupted before Hermione could ask another question.

"Enough so that we would be visible from Mars." Ron responded.

"Only Mars, you're sure it's not further?" Harry asked a sudden gleam lighting his eye.

"Just to Mars, why? Do you have a way to get us further away than that?" Ron asked sarcastically.

"I just might" Harry answered honestly. "Give me a week to see if I can arrange things, ok?" With their assent his half smirk turned into a full blown smile, "I'll contact you within a week either way so just hang in there." With that Harry strode off purposefully into the darkness.

Ron and Temperance shared a look, "I should get back, I'm supposed to meet Probie and Ziva for drinks in about an hour" He gave her another quick hug before nearly sprinting away.

Temperance shook her head briefly and looked back at the still silent grave. "What do you know, Aunty; there might be a solution after all."

DO NOT READ THIS LINE

The next day John Sheppard entered Jack O'Neill's office at the Pentagon. The Secretary of Home world security looked up and sighed, "Look, if this is about getting Atlantis back to Pegasus I am working on it. It shouldn't anymore than about another month or so; which I just told McKay if you had bothered to ask."

"It's not about Atlantis" Sheppard responded, "but I need a favor all the same."

O'Neill gestured, "Well, go on."

Sheppard straightened "I need you permission to inform a small group of previously unauthorized people about the StarGate program and more importantly bring this group off world with my teammates for several days."

O'Neill blinked, "alright I'll bite, which planet?"

"PX-45-382"

"Isn't that planet uninhabited, Sheppard?"

"That's the point, sir."

O'Neill sighed, "Sheppard we can't use valuable resources and put the program in jeopardy to extend the size of your harem."

Sheppard snorted, "I'll have to let Rodney have it for that particular rumor. I'm not trying to get laid."

"Then what, pray tell, do you need to take of a group of…"

"14, sir plus my teammates"

"…14 unauthorized people through the Stargate."

Sheppard looked shifty for a second before making a decision. "There are secrets I have that I want to tell my team, things that I want to tell them because they're family but can't. The other two who share those secrets also have family they want to tell and the only way to do that even remotely safely would draw a lot of the wrong kind of attention to the three of us."

O'Neill was silent. "You'll take full responsibility?"

"For their every thought and action" Sheppard answered.

"Fine on one condition"

"Sir?"

"Daniel, Sam, Tealc, and I are coming as well. To keep an eye on you."

"Not Mitchell or Vala?"

"It's their honey moon"

"Very well Colonel you have yourself a deal."

SEE ABOVE FOR INSTRUCTION

"Very Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo at your service." Tony answered the phone with a flourish causing Ziva to roll her eyes slightly and McGee to shake his head at his computer screen. Both looked over in surprise when Tony suddenly went still. "You're sure?" They heard him breath into the phone almost reverently. "When?" He asked in the same tone. He listened to something one the other end, nodding slightly. "Better pass along the message first; you know how worried she is." A strange smile flitted across Tony's face, "I'll see you in half an hour then," another pause then he laughed suddenly, "well let her do some of the explaining before you get there, you do have to pick us up too."

"Who's going where, DiNozzo?" Gibbs voice rang out as Tony was hanging up the phone. To the others surprise his boss' voice did not dim the excitement building in Tony's eyes.

"All of us, boss." Tony answered absentmindedly. "A friend of mine came through on something and we'll all be going."

"Going where, Dinozzo?" Gibbs growled.

Tony looked up at him, "I really don't know, boss. John can't tell us anything either until he get us all together. He was just able to find a safe place for me to let you guys in on a couple of things." Tony thought for a moment strangely serious, "It would probably better if you got Ducky, Palmer, and Abby up here before I go any further. I don't want to explain twice."

"Explain what, Dinozzo?" Gibbs growled out to Dinozzo who was rooting around in his desk for something.

"I have secrets, boss. This is going to be the only way for me to tell you them." Tony said as he pulled out an old leather bound volume out of his desk and began checking through the pages. Abby, Palmer, and Ducky entered the bull pen a few moments later.

"Dinozzo" Gibbs growled out in a tone that told him he better watch out for a head slap.

Tony looked up from the book he was skimming through, "Sorry, Boss. It really is as simple as I have secrets that I couldn't tell any of you. It was practically killing another friend of mine to hide some of the stuff we do so for her sake and ours we figured out a way to tell you without endangering anyone. John should be here in a couple of minutes and he said this is all going to be above board we all may be getting a mini paid vacation out of it." Tony brightened for a moment at the thought. "You're going to have to trust me for a bit, boss, but I will tell you everything; and I promise we haven't broken any legitimate laws." Gibbs slapped the back of Tony's head on his way past to his desk. Tony stopped short for a moment, his eyes widening in surprised realization. "Boss, can I talk to you for a moment? In your office?"

Gibbs gave Tony a strange look but lead the way to his elevator office. Hitting the emergency stop Gibbs turned with a questioning look toward the younger man.

Tony simply took a deep breath and said, "When John gets here you can't do…that"

"Do what, DiNozzo?"

"The head slapping, boss. I know you don't mean anything by it, I've never taken it to heart. But…John's different. He won't see the affection in it, not with how he was brought up." Tony was picking his word with more care than Gibbs could remember.

"He was abused?" The older man asked sharply.

Tony grimaced but answered, "He doesn't talk about it much, even with us, but we know it was bad. We could tell that from when we patched him up. Aunty was able to tell us a bit more but she didn't like to think of what went on much either."

"Aunty?" Gibbs asked, curious.

Tony jumped a bit, as if he had been lost in thought and painted a smile on his face, "We'll tell you more about her later, boss. Just please be careful until John gets to know you."

Gibbs grunted, "Fine, Dinozzo, but you better have a good explanation for this"

With that he hit the switch that let the two of them off in the bull pen. Just as they were arriving in the open area that held their desks the door to Vance's office opened and a dark haired figure came down the steps. The Man's eyes brightened when they landed on Dinozzo.

Tony, for his part hugged the dark haired man enthusiastically then made a show of checking the man over for injuries to the other's amusement. "You just saw me three days ago" He laughed, "I'm fine." At Tony's alarmed look he laughed harder "Really, no injuries."

The rest of the team was surprised with Tony's continued silent skepticism. "I'm tempted to have you checked out by Ducky anyways… Hey" He exclaimed when the dark haired man rolled his eyes, "I am not the one who spent nearly two weeks walking on a fractured ankle…"

"That was over ten years ago" The man spoke forcefully with an outstretched finger. After a minute he seemed to realize what he was doing and looked at the finger with a sense of betrayal. "I have been spending way too much time around Rodney." He muttered.

Tony's eyes lit up with such a familiar glee that McGee automatically began to look for the nail polish remover he kept at hand. "Rodney is it? Didn't I hear you mention him before?"

The new comer looked distinctly unimpressed, "Do you really want to go into this with me, mate? Not when talking about Fleur would be just as easy."

A dull red flush fascinated both McGee and Ziva as it traveled up Tony's face for a moment. When he opened his mouth to respond Gibbs growled out, "Dinozzo"

The unknown man narrowed his eyes at Gibbs at the man's surly tone but was prevented from reacting by Tony's unrepentantly cheerful "Sorry, Boss. This is Lieutenant Colonel John Sheppard, one of my best friends and my brother in all but blood since we were kids. He's the one who will be hosting this little shindig."

"With that great introduction I have some forms that you'll need to sign and we'll be on our way. I already cleared this with both Director Vance. It turns out they were planning on letting you all in on this program for a while now." Sheppard grinned charmingly at them and handed each one a stack of papers about an inch thick.

Tony skimmed it but started signing right away, trusting his friends not to lead him wrong. He did snort a few times at the various clauses and sub clauses. He just knew there was some government lackey somewhere that had waited their whole lives to be able to write 'if this secret is disclosed without permission violators will be shot into closest star' and actually have it mean something. It took several minutes and a few exclamations but eventually all eight of them had signed and returned the non disclosure forms. With another grin and a few words into the nearly invisible radio in his ear the military man signaled the Dedalus. Seconds later the bull pen was completely empty.

When the flash of light cleared they found themselves somewhere completely different from where they had been. The walls of the room were a metallic gray but that was all the information anyone could take in before there was a second flash and they found themselves in some kind of military installation with another group of about six people, one of whom was ranting about government conspiracies. They watched Tony and Sheppard greet one of the women, a rather stern looking brunette, with a hug each.

For the next half hour they were all introduced to the Stargate program interspersed with rants from the man from earlier, who everyone kept calling Hodges. Finally after explanations and a physical for each of them they were joined by three more people. Two were dressed in some kind of leather and looked extremely athletic, the third was slightly broader and stormed right up to Sheppard apparently all ready in the middle of a rant.

I know your reading these lines, now stop!

It took nearly five more hours to get the entire mass of them ready and through the stargate which left John Sheppard feeling a bit like he was herding four year olds. Most of that time was spent trying to calm down the conspiracy theorist that Mia brought with her or the Goth that came with Tony.

Now that they were finally through the 'gate it was decision time. "Tony" He caught his brother's attention. "How powerful with the discharge for this be."

A strange look passed across the other man's face, "enough to be visible from Mars. I know your memory's better than that."

Sheppard sighed, "Is it likely to blow up or knock over our only way home?" He asked with a faux patience. They were so close and despite the fact that Mia had been the first to break, they all were tired of the lies.

Tony thought for a moment, "We should probably move away" he concluded.

Before they could decide how far to move away from the 'gate Rodney stormed up, a fed up look on his face. "What is going on Sheppard? I've been waiting patiently so far but I want answers!"

Sheppard turned to look at the scientist, "you never wait patiently, Rodney" and while the man sputtered he turned back to Tony and Temperance, who had joined them. "We can break the secrecy bonds now; it is most certainly safe." He waited for both to agree before returning his attention to his friend. "Just give us a few more moments Rodney then we'll tell you everything." The wizard turned soldier didn't know Rodney saw in his face but the other man didn't speak for once; just nodded with a small huff.

With a smile that looked more like a grimace Sheppard pulled out his unused wand and turned to find the others had done the same. Together they chanted the phrase that would release the bindings on their most closely guarded secrets. "Nos dimittam secreta tenetur interius corda nostra" and with a rush of energy that the entire group felt the bond that had held them safe for years was broken.

John turned back to Rodney, who was looking at them impatiently. Inwardly the solider smiled at the fact that the man obviously ignored the light show that had accompanied the bonds breaking. "Guys could you draw us some seats?" He asked the others without taking his eyes off of his scientist. Gasps and shocked looks alerted them to the fact that seating was no longer an option. "I might be better if you sit down. It's a bit of a long story. "

"This better be good, Sheppard." Rodney muttered before he went to take a seat. The others followed at a much more sedate rate.

Agent Booth, who had been remarkably quiet at the obvious familiarity between the three, sidled up to Temperance "Just what is going on, Bones?" He asked.

The name caused the soldier and the cop to exchange slightly disbelieving amused glances. "Bones eh, Mia? You let him give you a nickname?"

"It's not…I didn't…" those who knew her as Temperance Brennan were shocked to see the composed woman sputter slightly before her eyes narrowed. She smiled sweetly at the duo, which stopped their snickering. "Are you sure you want to go there?" She all but purred, still smiling. Both men, hardened by war, death, and the worst that humans (and other races) had to offer, paled and shook their head furiously. Their blood sister was absolutely vicious when she wanted revenge. It had been her insistence that had landed Severus Snape in the part of Vernon Dursley's punching bag while they escaped. She turned back to Booth, her face even more serious than she usually was "After tonight Booth, I will have no more secrets."

"Now" Sheppard spoke once they had everyone seated and looking at the three of them. They were arrayed in comfortable chairs facing the trio but grouped together. To the right sat Dr. Lance Sweets, Dr. Jack Hodgins, Angela Montegro, Camille Saroyan and Agent Seeley Booth. Grouped directly in front of them were Dr. Rodney McKay, Ronon Dex, Teyla Emmagan, General Jack O'Neill, Dr. Daniel Jackson, Teal'c, and Doctor Samantha Carter. To the left sat Agent Jethro Gibbs, Tim McGee, Ziva David, Dr. Donald "Ducky" Mallard, Jimmy Palmer, and Abbey Scuito. "What we have to tell you might be in the realm of strange things we can prove it and secrecy is of the utmost importance. These secrets can cost our lives. We can and will protect our secrets but the reason you are all here is because one of us considers you family."

Tony got right into it before could respond to that statement. He went for blunt rather than finesse "Magic is real" there were a few immediate visceral reactions that included an eye roll from every scientist there despite the chair drawing earlier.

The only one who didn't looking even slightly skeptical (save Ronon, Teyla, and Teal'c who each had their own reasons to believe in magic) was Dr. Sweets; instead he looked surprised and worried. "Look, I don't know who you are but I know you have just broken several international laws" he said, trying to impress on them the serious of their actions.

"Let me guess, you went to Salem?" Tony asked drily then ducked suddenly as instinct took over. His companions looked at him strangely for a moment before turning back to Dr. Sweets

The psychiatrist looked undecided for a moment before finally answering with a reluctant, "Triquetra Nature School in LA"

Temperance blinked, "that's quite prestigious, I think a few of our tutors had come from Triquetra." Forcing herself back on topic, "international law says that no muggle but the families of the witch or wizard can know about our world. We just said you were all family. Besides we're even doing one better anyone who agrees to keep our secrets will be part of a Clan. There's nothing the ministry can do."

"This is ludicrous" McKay spat out suddenly, "don't tell me you believe this Colonel. Magic isn't real."

"And the chairs?" Sheppard asked wryly

Rodney's hand flew, "And how simple would it be to hide those chairs. I…" the rant was abruptly cut off when Tony, who had lost his temper, brandished his wand and with a muttered incantation a very surprised penguin took the place of a very angry astrophysicist.

Sheppard stepped forward and barked out an immediate, "Ron!" sharply, even as her raised barriers to keep the bird from moving.

Tony shrugged unrepentantly, "It was the only thing I could think of that couldn't talk or move quickly. He wouldn't have accepted anything else, and you know it."

"So you transfigured him" Sheppard glared murderously at his friend, "do you know how to change him back?" Tony suddenly looked way too sheepish for someone who was turning potential family members into flightless water fowl.

Temperance heaved a put upon sigh that was entirely lost on the speechless group. "You're lucky I do know how to reverse this transfiguration, Ron" she said quietly. With another quick spell, this time from her wand the Astrophysicist was back to himself though looking a great deal more convinced than he was prior to his transformation.

She gestured for them to sit again as many had jumped up in shock at the penguin in their midst. There were no arguments, not a sound. "As you may or may not have guessed one of the secrets we will tell you today is our birth names. Dr. Sweets you will likely recognize us. Everything else will center on who we were and why we can't ever go back. After the explanations are finished we'll give you a choice; either you join our clan and help protect those secrets or we erase the information from your mind. Now I'm going to formally introduce myself, my birth name was Hermione Ann Granger" Dr. Sweets eyes narrowed slightly as he tried to place the name.

Tony spoke next, "I'm Ron Billius Weasley"

Then Sheppard "I'm…"

That was a far as he got before Sweets eyes widened. "H-H-H Harry Potter. They have warrants out for your extradition to England. You three are considered National traitors for assisting the You-Know-Who stay in power."

The word traitor soured all three expressions. The newly revealed Hermione sniffed, "We're traitors because we wouldn't let Harry be sacrificed. Especially for sheep that wouldn't even stand up for what they believed in if it would keep their own mothers alive. Not to mention we left when we were fifteen." That got everyone's attention, particularly a certain Stargate team. Harry just looked uncomfortable.

"We'll get to that part in a bit." Harry said uncomfortably

Hermione nodded. "I supposed we should start with the background first. Now that you know our names we can move onto a brief history lesson. Magic has been hidden since the dark ages and the witch hunts. They exist as a parallel society in most if not all developed countries. As you've all probably guessed by Dr. Sweets exclamations breaking the secrecy is a matter of international lawbreaking. In the '70's a psychopath by the name of Tom Riddle began a bid for power in the British magical world. He, much like Hitler, was a charismatic leader who played off a deep rooted belief in pureblood superiority. This was essentially the belief that anyone who was born into a magical family was automatically superior to a non magical or a magical born into a non magical family. He gained followers quickly and essentially formed a terrorist cell. As the government was primarily populated with people who held the same beliefs as he touted, even if they didn't advocate the violence, it was large ineffectual. In 1981 for reasons we never found out Harry's parents became a main target for this madman. They employed an ancient charm that would hide the secret of their existence within a single person. Had it been successful Riddle could have walked up to the house and peered in the window and wouldn't have seen them. It would have been successful had their chosen Secret Keeper not been a coward who had joined the Death Eaters not long before. He betrayed them quickly enough and on Halloween 1981 Tom Riddle attacked their home…"

"I'll take this part" Harry interrupted, "After he killed my parents he cast the Killing Curse at me. Just like it sounds anything it touches is instantly killed. No one is sure why but it hit me and rebounded back to him it destroyed his body, but apparently wasn't enough to kill him. They named me the Boy-Who-Lived and I was shipped off to my mother's sister. They were non magical and my uncle hated anything that wasn't in his view of normal; including me. Aunty…she tried to protect me but that didn't always work. "

"We met Harry when we were 11; just starting school at Hogwarts. By the end of Halloween that year the three of us were fast friends." Hermione continued easily. "By then end of the year we knew something was going on in that house and by the start of second year we were sure that at the very least Ron's parents and possibly others knew exactly how Harry was treated. At the end of our fourth year Tom Riddle used Harry's blood in a complicated ritual to restore his body. During the summer before fifth year we were told that it was too dangerous to contact Harry. That year the group that fought Riddle when he first rose reformed and met in the house we were staying in. We over heard several discussion about how to best isolated Harry and what time of the year would be best to sacrifice him to destroy Riddle. We took a chance when the Easter Holidays came and tricked the staff into believing that Harry was comatose in the hospital wing and that someone needed to be sent to his house in his place. Using them as a distraction we escaped with Aunty across the pond here to America."

"This is where things get interesting." Ron chirped, "For two years we hid in the U.S without a problem. We had political asylum from the Department of Magic and they arranged tutors for the three of us to continue our magical and non magical educations. Right around Hermione's 17th birthday we were found out. In order to keep ourselves hidden we underwent an experimental procedure after our tutors put some extremely sophisticated wards that would hide our presence; unfortunately the trade off for those wards was we would be incapable of accessing our magical core while they were in effect. The experimental procedure centered around using the memories of three people who had very recently died to allow us to take on their lives. This was difficult because they would have to be close to an exact match physically. Three people were found but we would not be able to contact one another in any way until we had lived in our roles long enough to have a viable reason to. These three were as you probably guessed Temperance Brennan, a young woman who had just graduated from high school then committed suicide. I became Tony Dinozzo; he had been mugged ironically enough and shot three times. Harry was brought to Massachusetts where he took on the guise of a private school senior who had wrapped his car around a tree. Thankfully or not none of the three were truly close enough to anyone to break our cover. We never saw Aunty again; she died of cancer 3 years after we were forced to split up."

There was silence while the three watched their family digest this. It was Ducky that broke the silence. "You mentioned that we could help protect your secret, dear boy."

Ron, slightly hopeful since any eruption would likely be violent, nodded. "There is a ritual that I was taught growing up. It takes a group of people and makes them into a clan. Once a clan is formed secrets can be designated clan secrets and be protected from the most insidious magic or even willful betrayal. It's heavily regulated because with enough power it has the potential to be binding even with non magical."

"And you think you have enough power for that?" Sweets asked while his mind racing. For all that he didn't agree that 15 year olds should be sacrificed surely they misinterpreted what was going on. If he could just get through the day with his memories intact the doctor could get in touch with the right authorities and this whole mess could be cleared up.

"Harry almost certainly has enough power to bring in most if not all of you. Between the three of us we definitely have what's needed. This has to be completely voluntary though."

"How much energy are talking about here? Also what kind of energy, don't tell me you're radioactive and never mentioned it Colonel. Its bad enough you have a stupid martyr complex, which I totally get now by the way, that has been slowly but steadily shaving years off my life. What if you're carcinogenic? I can't believe I'm going to get Cancer from you."

Everyone else stood and watched with slightly bemused expressions with the exception of Harry, Ronon, and Teyla. Ronon and Teyla just looked amused while Harry sighed.

"Rodney I am not carcinogenic. I'm not even radioactive; remember that Ancient device you had me turn on last week; the one that turned out to be a Rad-meter? Also for the last time I do not have a martyr complex or a death wish"

Rodney waved his hand like he could physically brush aside Harry's words, "Well I'm certainly not the one who strapped himself to a nuke and flew into a hive ship."

"That was five years ago, McKay. Let it drop…" anything else he had to say was interrupted by Hermione.

Ron had suddenly gone very still at her side, "You did what?" Hermione asked in a tone so dangerous the entire group backed up a step.

"Maybe we should get to that later" Ducky interjected calmly, "I imagine this ritual you were talking about will take some time and you mentioned we would have to move away from the Stargate."

Ron was grateful that the fight had been pushed off and so nodded "Right you are, Duckman. I figure if we at least half a mile from the Stargate we'll be fine."

Hermione, still staring at Harry in a way that promised great retribution, spoke. "We should get going then." With that the group began to move toward the ritual site; some were beginning to come out of their stupor but most were following along without protest.

Okay that's it for this chapter. I should have one more for this story but there are no guarantees when that will be out. I tried to get the characters voices right and I think I succeeded for the most part. And before anyone complains that the US government would never let that amount of civilians through the Stargate I figure that there are enough favors owed to both O'Neill and Sheppard that they might be able to get this through. Especially if the groups of civilian were slated to find out anyway because there placement made them a good resource if there were any intergalactic criminals operating on US soil.