(Disclaimer in chapter 1)
One Plus One Equals One
by novacarta
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Chapter 07
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[…Mental conversation…] "…Verbal conversation…" '…Thoughts…'
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Somewhere, Someplace – August 1 1991, 14:51pm
"Daniel, I found it. It should be the last one!"
Harry called out from the other side of the cavern, waving a gun-shaped object that small enough to fit in his palm. He hadn't even finished his sentence when a energy blast shoot off from between his fingers and ripped a notch in the cavern ceiling. A hail-like rain of rubble and chippings covered them gray within a minute.
"Ah Oh."
"Harry." Daniel rubbed his temple, trying to relieve the throbbing headache.
"Sorry…" the boy muttered, held out the gun to him with his fingers. "I'll be more careful next time."
"Please." Daniel snatched it out of his hand. "I'd prefer no next time at all."
He put it into a padded box along with other several items. So far it was the only weapon they had found, and Daniel did not expect to put it in use anytime soon, the same also applied to the personal shield disguised as a pendant. The other items were surprisingly for daily usages mostly, aka the Alterran version of household appliances.
"Please don't tell me this is a refrigerator." Harry picked up something that looked suspiciously like a mini Rubik Cube.
"Believe it or not, it is a kind of farming machinery." Daniel smirked at the disbelieved look. "The cubies position at each corners to define the effective area of a time dilation field. Time within the area will be many times faster than real time, which in returns will shorten the growing season."
"…You are pulling my leg, aren't you?"
"And this tiny little thing?" Daniel ignored the question and showed him a small emerald earring. "It is Alterrans version of a Halloween toy. Put it on your ear and you have a near-to-skin holographic projection upon your design." Quick as lighting, Daniel pressed it onto Harry's right earlobe.
"Hey! What are you doing?" Harry shrieked, tugged back, then puffed out his cheeks. But there was no pain. The earring merely stayed on there without actually pieced through his fresh.
"The concealer is going to rub off pretty soon, you had better keep it on you just in case." Daniel gave him a cheeky grin. "The earring suits your eyes, by the way."
They finished packing in no time. Daniel filled a large wooden chest with books and scrolls, while Harry filled another chest with things he found interesting. They decided to take a box of gems with them to see if the goblin were interested to trade.
Pushing the chests together, Daniel gave the cavern a final look before he turned to Harry. The boy was playing around with the stone tablets and looked at the changing images with a bored expression.
"Have you got everything? We won't be back for a few years." Daniel told him. "And when we come for the clue your grandfather hinted at, we probably need a transport ring."
"Why not come back the same way we did?" Harry asked.
"If we are going to show SGC the clue, we will have to explain how we get into a cavern half mile under the Glastonbury Tor." Daniel explained. How he hated policy and paperwork. He pulled out the side tray from the control panel and took out the crystal piece. "Anyway, let's get back to Lord Ragnok first."
"He might think we are dead already." Harry agreed.
They stood over the gathered chests and merged back as one. A beam of light washed over the cavern, returned it to the complete darkness and silence.
Gringotts Bank – August 1 1991, 15:17pm
Lord Ragnok was absorbed in a latest excavation report from the Egypt branch. The muggle antiques were worthless to goblin, thought the muggle government decided to exchange gold for them. Nothing pleased him more than a great businee.
"Ahem."
A cough from the doorway almost made the goblin lord jump out of his skin.
"Mr. Potter!" He spluttered at the surprise, and when he saw the suddenly appeared boy his eyes almost popped out of its sockets. "What the hell happened to you?"
"Well, I sort of took a short cut to the Merlin vault…"
"That's not what I mean!" Lord Ragnok interrupted him. "You didn't even left for more than a few hours! How come you manage to lose your magic?"
"Something did happened but I haven't lost my magic!" Harry protested.
"Then why can't I sense your magic signature?" Lord Ragnok urged for an answer. "Goblins are born with ability to sense every magical creatures, not even a potion or a spell could have fool us!"
"Well…" Harry showed him the platinum ring on his finger hesitantly. "I found this in the Merlin Vault, and it hides the wearer's power signature."
"Why did you wear it then?" Lord Ragnok obviously was confounded.
"Someone seems to be very interested in my whereabouts, I don't want to have my tail followed anymore." Daniel gave the goblin lord a half-truth. It was only the Other they needed to keep away from, but keeping Dumbledore out of their way too definitely would be another plus.
"I think it is more trouble than it's worth. A spell or a potion could counter tracking spells easily, concealing magic signature completely only perplexes the issue!" Lord Ragnok shook his head at the foolhardy action. He contemplated for sometime before looked sharply at Harry in the eyes.
"Goblins do not muddle wizards' business, but of course, we will make an exception for the Heir of Merlin." He eyed the small boy and asked carefully. "Tell me Mr. Potter. Are you going to leave the wizarding world to live as a muggle, or are you going to stay but forge a fake identity?"
"I haven't figured it out yet. Does it matter?" Harry shrugged. Yesterday he was trilled to go to Hogwarts, today he dreamed of becoming a SG team member. Who knows what tomorrow might bring forth.
"As the largest wizarding bank in the world, we Gringotts take the most secured measures to prevent any forgery or counterfeit. Experience perfects everything. That is to say, these experts have become the best falsifiers you could possibly find." Lord Ragnok was almost gloating with a smirk on his face. "We could make Harry Potter disappear and reborn as a new wizard. We could even forge you a muggle identity, if that is what you want."
[That would be great!] Daniel said. [The ring can generate a holographic disguise. With a new face and no magical signature, you can pretend anyone.]
[At least Dumbledore won't bother me anymore.] Harry loved this idea too. [I probably need a new muggle identity too. The Dursleys still have my custody.]
Evan Jason Peverell was hence born into the world.
Headmaster Office, Hogwarts - August 1 1991, 19:05pm
"Good Evening, Professor McGonagall. I hope your day is well." Albus Dumbledore sat at the dining table, greeting her and reached for the baked potatos. "How is the student admission going?"
"I have visited eight muggleborns for orientation, but one of them decided to decline our invitation. The Ministry have already sent in a Obliviator just as we speak." Professor McGonagall reported dutifully. "We have 32 first years in total, not including Harry Potter." She paused and looked at the headmaster sternly. "I have not received any reply from his relatives yet. It had been over a week since the invitation letter had been sent! Don't tell me the son of Lily and James is not going to attend Hogwarts!"
"Worry not, my dear professor." Dumbledore chuckled. "Hagrid succeed in locating Mr. Potter yesterday and have introduced him to our world already. The Dursleys might not be very happy at the moment, but nevertheless Harry Potter will join us this year."
"Hagrid? Introduce our world?" The frown on her face spoke volumes about her displeasure. "I would be surprised if Harry know how to get into Platform 9-3/4!"
"I will take care of everything, you will see him before the sorting ceremony." The Headmaster gave her a comforting smile.
"If you are so sure…" Professor McGonagall let the topic go hesitatingly.
They finished their meal in silence and retired to the sitting room enjoying the night together. The school was mostly desert during summer time and it was getting lonely to have so few companions in a large castle. At one time Dumbledore tried to invite the resident teachers for a private dinner, sadly except McGonagall most were not good conversationalists. After spending an imaginative night with the Divination professor, he limited his invitation to selected few.
They sat on the armchairs in front of the fireplace, settled down for a chess game and made some small talk.
"I received a letter from the Gringotts Bank this afternoon." The Transfiguration Professor said as she took a bishop with her knight. "Lord Ragnok wish to meet with me about a late admission in the coming school year."
"Of a goblin?" Dumbledore asked. One white brow rose in puzzlement.
"The letter was brief," She shrugged. "But he did mention that the child was a ward of one of their prime human employee."
"And who is this child?"
McGonagall thought for a moment.
"Peverell." she said. "Evan Jason Peverell."
She never noticed how the old headmaster frozen with disbelief.
"I will meet them in Gringotts to discuss in detail tomorrow. I intend to give him his invitation letter right away if everything goes well."
When she noticed the old man's lack of action, she tapped on his hand worried.
"Albus? Are you alright?"
He shook himself out of shock and smiled at her tiredly.
"My age might finally catch up with me. I think I had better call it a day."
McGonagall gave him a worry look but left without saying anything.
'Now it is interesting.' Albus Dumbledore stared into the fireplace and started to brood.
McGonagall might not aware of the significance of the Peverell family, Dumbledore otherwise tried over a hundred years earlier to reunite the 3 heirlooms of said story of Deathly Hallows was not widely known except the Hallows seekers. and even fewer people knew the three brothers in the story were in fact the Peverell brothers.
He had manged to win the Elder Wand from Grindelwald and borrowed Cloak of Invisibility from James Potter before he died, and when he find the Resurrection Stone, he would be the first wizard in over a thousand years to own all three of the Hallows.
'How it's possible to have a living Peverell when all historical records stated the line ended in 13th century. Not even Grindelwald with his spy network had heard anything about the Peverell.'
"It must be just a coincidence." He mused aloud, as if to convict himself.
AN: A short chapter, I know.
AN2: About the Ori power vs Ascended power thing? Well, I have some theories:
Without any outside influence, and as an individual, an ascended being can manipulate ambient energy and thus is more power than a Ori, who only contain their inner energy.
However, after adding the factor of the will power / life force from Ori followers, an Ori can overpower an ascended being as long as they get enough followers.
Ori fanatics provide energy via their excessive loyalty, enthusiasm to scarify, fierceness to fight, to the God. The energy reflects its source's emotion, and is more aggressive than natural energy, which is the source of ascended power.
Nevertheless, this theory doesn't really matter because the ascended beings have no big role in my story plots. (Except a few selected one) The mighty glowy club would only watch Stargate SG1 on their TVs and do nothing after all.