CHAPTER 26 –

Harry and Therisson were making their way back to the main house when Harry had a sense that something was off. When a huge shadow crossed over them Harry looked up and saw the biggest Dragon that he had ever seen. It was noticeable bigger than the Hungarian horntail he had dealt with before.

He knew running was a waste of time and as he was in the middle of the field there was no cover for hundreds of yards. He could apparate with Therisson so he pulled her closer and wrapped his arm around her. "Don't make sudden movements." He whispered to her.

Harry continued to watch the soaring dragon conduct a lazy figure eight pattern twice. The Dragon then went into a slow diving circle that brought him closer to the ground. Harry watched as he landed fifty feet from him and from behind he sensed something and looked. He found that a hundred yards away were another thirty or forty dragons.

Harry's eyes were wide opened as he looked to see the Dragons resting on the ground with their front legs crossed. It was the oddest thing he had ever witnessed, not that he had been around many dragons to know their behavior anyway. All of the Dragons were looking at him but not from hunger but from curiosity or expectation.

Harry commented "This behavior is not normal. I have never seen Dragons acting like this."

Therisson smiled "Dragons? We used to call them the Herscions. They are an intelligent race of beings that travel the stars."

Harry looked at her "You know of them? We call them Dragons. They have magic and are very violent to humans."

A voice broke into Harry's mind "Young human we are violent because your people kill our kind for ingredients, clothing, and to eat us. If your race would listen they would have heard us long ago. We are violent to protect ourselves."

Harry turned to the Dragon before him "You can talk to us?"

The massive Dragon snorted in amusement "But of course we can but after thousands of years of trying we learned not to bother. You only listen to what you want to hear." The dragon sniffed the air "This female you have with you she is different than you. She smells older."

Therisson stepped beside Harry "My race was known to you as the Alterrrans."

The dragon eyed her suspiciously "My history tells me your kind left this universe many millions of years ago, are you back now?"

Therisson shook her head "No, I am a remnant of our society. His people are descendants of ours."

The dragon snorted this time in disgust "They are stupid animals that deny the existence of anything other than themselves. They are arrogant in the worst way."

Harry almost laughed "You know that is the best description and after the year I have had I tend to agree with you. It is one of the reasons I have decided to leave and start a new world, a better world."

The dragon looked at him "This is why we are here. Our little friends told us of a gathering for departing this world. We wish to journey with you."

Therisson looked very surprised "Your race are subspace travelers without ships. Why didn't you just do this on your own."

"A few of us have tried and they never returned." The Dragon stated with sarrow. "For that to happen means they came out on the other side in a sun or a planet that could not support life and died. If they had made it they would have called to us and we could then follow."

Therisson and Harry listened as the Dragon told his story "The Elves left through the gate thousands of years ago because of an alien species that came to this planet to take over. The Aliens would not let us approach the gate and they were too powerful to wrest it from them. For a thousand years we waited for a chance and we never got it. Finally the humans rebelled only to bury the gate after getting rid of the aliens much to our dismay.

Without the gate we have to try random vectors and if we do not find the right place it kills us quickly. This is why we always used the gates to scout other planets out. We have been trapped on this planet for a very long, long time."

Harry's mouth fell open "I am so sorry."

The Dragon looked at him "I believe you little tasty snack."

Therisson began to laugh "The Herscions have a wicked sense of humor by the way."

Harry eyed him "Oh, that is hilarious I am laughing about it on the inside."

Hermione and Gabby came up to stand beside Harry as Gabby asked "Harry are we making new friends?"

Harry rolled his eyes and smiled "Well sort of….I think… or I just became a snack."

The dragon looked at him "I am still debating on it myself. I think I it is a good thing I ate that cow for breakfast." Therisson and Hermione were smiling.

They were interrupted when Ragnok came over "Shreve, it has been a long time my friend."

The dragon looked over "Ragnok my favorite perverted elf." Ragnok chuckled "How are my brethren under your care?"

Ragnok answered "Well Felch is doing much better, Elshia is still getting fevers every so often, Ramt is getting edgy and wants to leave. They will recover in time."

Harry listened and then asked "Wait a minute. You mean to say that the Dragons at Gringotts are actually there because they are sick and getting cared for?"

Ragnok looked over "Of course! We couldn't make a Dragon do anything if we tried."

Harry then asked "Then what is with the clappers."

The Dragon laughed "The Goblins help our sick and we help the Goblins convince the stupid wizards we are there to guard their gold and that they should not attempt to steal from them. "

Ragnok added "It works very well for both of us." Ragnok smiled "You see Harry we knew what you came for that day you and Hermione stole the cup. It was a vile thing but Gringott's didn't want to appear on one side, so we let you take the cup and the Dragon you left on was better and was due to be released anyway."

Hermione looked up at them "That would explain a lot because I always felt that we got too lucky that day."

Shreve chuckled "Luck had nothing to do with it and our help made all the difference in the world."

Ragnok looked at him "So you came to get off the planet?"

Shreve snorted "As soon as this silly human let's one of us through the gate."

Harry shook his head "Hey I wouldn't dare think to deprive a great and mighty Dragon."

Shreve walked closer "Good, then we can help you scout out this new planet because we would like to have free access to the gate from this world and make it our base of operation. We would freely share information from our explorations."

Harry looked at him "As long as you agree that humans are not on the menu."

Shreve grinned, which was a show of teeth for a Dragon "Oh good that means that Goblins are free snacks. We can live with that."

Ragnok frowned "Hey, I will only give you indigestion." Everyone was laughing.

Therisson turned to Hermione and Gabby "May I speak with both of you for a moment?"

Hermione looked at Gabby who nodded her agreement. Harry watched the three of them walk away and his stomach did a little flutter. In his mind he was thinking of the various ways to escape so he accio'ed his broom and shrunk it down. He kept telling himself 'Remember, to avoid the spell impact and run, run very fast. God they are going to kill me!'

Unknown to Harry, Gabby and Hermione were laughing as Therisson described Harry's reaction "At first he seemed very scared and then when he found out I was not mad at him and in fact wanted his help, well he was very happy. The smile on his face was very nice."

Hermione was still laughing "I am sure at this moment…" Harry's broom flew by the doorway as Hermione continued "he is planning multiple escape routes, most likely by broom." Gabby and Therisson were laughing.

Hermione looked at both of them after a few minutes "You don't know this but Harry had a very hard childhood, he was abused. He has always wanted a family because he had none while growing up. He will wonder if he can be a good father. We need to reassure him he can."

Gabby looked on with a smile "Should we go confront him? Maybe we can demand that he make us that way too so he will take us to bed."

Hermione rolled her eyes "I swear that is all you think about."

Gabby chuckled "Oui, what is the problem."

Two Days Later –

Harry was sitting in his study deep in thought when he felt a hand running through his hair. He looked over and found Hermione sitting next to him with a funny looking smile "Oh, so somebody is at home." She stated softly to him.

Harry had a small smile "Sorry I was thinking about something."

Hermione curled her legs under herself and leaedn into him "Well maybe I can help."

Harry smirked "Besides being a very much loved distraction?"

Hermione quipped back at him "Well its only bloody fair because whenever you walk into a room you distract me." Harry kissed her nose in response.

Harry sighed "I was just thinking about the Americans and more specifically the star gate program. We basically high jacked the second Star Gate and now we are about ready to steal a source of knowledge from them. I was just wondering how I would feel about that."

Hermione thought about it for a few minutes and then responded "First, the Americans do not have exclusive use of the Star gate system. Second, if they came to our new world would we deny them the use of anything or decide not to help them?"

Harry looked at her "No, definitely not. We have helped each other in the past." Harry stood up suddenly "Actually, by doing this we could help them more and provide a staging area that we could defend very well. I think we need to go have a talk with our friends across the pond."

Hermione stood up beside him and rubbed her fingers across his chest "I am bloody good aren't I? Here you have sat since breakfast thinking about the universe and I, a mere woman, fix it in under five minutes."

Harry smiled and began to stalk towards her "You know I wouldn't want you to get a big head from this."

Hermione started backing away "Harry, it was just a little joke."

Harry began to laugh as he let his inner animal out "So is this."

Hermione looking very disheveled "Damn that Potter!" Gabby walked by just as she said this.

Gabby started to laugh "Why Hermione you look like you had a very hard day." Gabby was straightening her clothes "Harry was involved I take it?"

Hermione blew some hair out of her eyes and then smiled "Yes, he was." Hermione looked at her and then grabbed her hands "Come on we have to go on a trip with Harry. We have some interesting friends you will meet."

Therisson, Gabby, and Hermione were standing by the Floo when Harry walked into the room. "I reached General Hammond and he will meet us at Sam's tonight for dinner and the President will meet with us tomorrow afternoon in a conference call. Sam knows we are all coming."

They arrived two port keys and six hours later at Sam's door. She looked at them and then crossed her arms and smiled at them "Harry I didn't know you were accepting applications for additional harem girls. I think I am a little miffed I wasn't considered."

Harry grinned as he rolled his eyes "Hello Samantha it is nice to see you to." Harry stepped forward and hugged her "Maybe I am here to invite you into my little growing family." Harry leaned Sam back and gave her a kiss on the lips and let his inner animal out to play. He stood her back up and then walked into the house.

Sam stood there shaking her head to clear it as Hermione, Gabby, and Therisson looked at her with smiles Gabby spoke up "He is that good. You will become mostly coherent after five minutes but remain somewhat distracted for the rest of the day."

Sam looked at them "What the hell was that?" The three girls just laughed at her. "Come on in you'll have to forgive me."

Harry was sitting at the counter with a smug grin of satisfaction. Hermione rolled her eyes and chuckled. Sam looked at Harry "That was just mean!"

Harry shrugged his shoulders "You asked for it."

Sam smiled at him "I guess I did, didn't I. Well tell me what brings you to my side of the world. I thought you were playing Lord Potter in Britain."

Hermione responded "He was but the bigots one a major victory and we decided to leave them to their own devices."

Sam looked at them "Sorry to hear that. So who are your new friends?"

Harry put his hand on Gabby's shoulder "This is Gabrielle Potter, we affectionately call her Gabby, she is my consort and a recent addition to my family."

Gabby reached out to shake Sam's hand "Hermione says you are smarter than her and that is saying something."

Sam turned a little pink and then smiled "You are very pretty." She returned.

Harry then stood behind Therisson "This lovely lady is Therisson from Alterran base 39."

Sam stopped all movement and then looked at both of them as they smiled at her. Sam thinking it was Harry pulling her leg went and hugged her "Oh, I have been there before. I was just there last week in fact. It's that place left of the moon and right next to Sweden.

Harry without skipping a beat answered back "Which moon and which Sweden are we talking about here?"

Sam hesitated again "I feel like I am missing something."

The room started laughing and then sat down as Harry stood up "This is part of why I am here. We were at the Ancient base, also known as Alterran outpost 47, and the gate activated and someone from base thirty-nine activated the outposts manufacturing facility, got a part and left. We tracked…"

Sam stood up "Wait, how could you know that happened?"

Hermione smiled "We have been to the base several times since we went with you."

Sam looked deep in thought for many seconds "How, you haven't used our gate?"

Suddenly her eyes lit up "You found your own gate or you have a ship. Did the Asgard let you barrow a ship?"

Harry chuckled at her answers "No they didn't but we found another Star gate."

Sam asked with excitement "Where?"

Hermione smiled "Why the secret Alterran outpost 126 of course."

Harry stopped Sam from the dozen's of questions she was going to ask "Sam this is part of what we want to see your President about and depending how Hammond and he deal with this is what we do from here."

Sam sat down and looked at them "They will not like having lost exclusive control of access to other worlds."

Hermione wrote down a gate address that had additional characters and showed it to Sam. Sam looked at it and then at her "This is the gate address for earth but what… You gave earth an additional sub address…but that would mean." Sam looked at Hermione "That is not possible."

Hermione arched her brow and looked at her but it was Therisson who answered "I am Alterran and that is what I said at first too."

Hermione looked at both of them and smirked "Think of sending a coded signal that chooses which gate to open. Without this signal the other gate, your gate opens."

Sam looked at her "But that would mean the gates are connected."

Hermione shook her head "No you have to think of the wormhole connecting to the least resistance and with this code our gate changes its properties to become less resistant than your gate."