Chapter 51
Disclaimer: I own nothing. I claim no rights to any television show, movie, or book. I write for fun not profit. All television show, movie, and book characters are owned by their production studios, television stations, and authors. No copyright infringement is intended. Again, I write for fun not profit. I am not getting paid for this. This goes for all chapters past, present, and future.
In the middle of the Greenland Sea, stood Opismaw prison. It was located on a small island that was cloaked in muggle repellent and unplotable charms. It was just as scary and imposing looking as Azkaban prison. The prisoners within the walls however, probably wished they resided in Azkaban as it would be less hellish to exist there. On the floor of her cell in a fetal position was a filthy mess of a woman once known a Ginevra Molly Potter nee Weasley AKA Ginny. She had stopped her sobbing from the demontors sucking out her happy thoughts long ago. Instead she replaced them with a sort of mantra as she repeated over and over again that 'My Harry will come because he loves me so.' Seeing this behavior made the warden realize that the woman may not be a harden criminal as the Swiss back led the justice system to believe and had contacted his superiors to send an evaluator to see if she needed to be put into long term medical care somewhere instead. As Ginny rocked herself in this position saying her mantra she began to feel the floor of her cell shake. She stopped her Mantras as she began to take notice. She then took notice of the roar from outside her window. She slowly lifted herself up to her feet and shuffled to the window. She was a small woman so she needed to be on her toes to be able to see out. What she saw was a massive wave of water headed her way. A tidal force that was sure to bring down the whole prison. She began to panic at the sight of it. That was until she saw her Harry swim into her vision. There he was Harry Potter on a nibus 2000 broomstick heading her way in front of the wave. He looked just like she remembered him so handsome in his scarlet and gold Gryffindor Quidditch robes racing to her rescue. He had a brilliant smile on his face as he waved to her. Harry was obviously controlling the wave. He was here to save her. He could no longer be without her and was staging a prison break just for her. Together they would fly back to Hogwarts and use the room of requirement for their lustful needs. Afterwards they would get married all over again so everyone would know how much he loved her and then they would be off to their second honeymoon where…
It was then her thoughts, visions and dreams of her insane mind ended as the wave came crashing through the wall tearing down the prison and crushing her body just like the reality that Harry never really came for her crushed her soul as it drifted to the great beyond.
/Scene Break/
In China, in an underground tunnel where the arks had been built two men waited in a private observation room overlooking the arks. They were waiting for one of the men's family. And the man in question was getting nervous that she wouldn't show up in time.
"Where the hell is she? The call went out hours ago. She was supposed to practically be living in this country by now."
Just then the door opened and the man's daughter walked in with her…friend? He had hoped the rumors he heard from the investigation weren't true. He killed the detective who brought the information to him just for saying it.
"Who's your friend pumpkin?" he asked with a stony face.
Kennedy was surprised to see he brought his hit man Ernie with him. She supposed that he got a promotion to be her father's body guard. She could also see in her father's eyes that he figured out her secret, one of them anyway.
"Daddy, I'd like you to meet my girlfriend Bobby Ann."
"Bobby Ann huh? As in Bobby the man I thought you were bringing."
"Kennedy what's going on?" Bobby Ann asked.
"Stay out of this sweetheart." Kennedy replied.
"What's going on is that I find out my little girl has been hanging around with lesbo lezzies." Her father growled angrily.
"Actually, I happen to be one of those lesbo lezzies and proud of it." Kennedy responded getting in his face.
"Not if you're my daughter you're not, while Kennedy was focused on him he looked to his man Ernie who was standing behind Bobby Ann and without a word he reached around covering her mouth with one hand and slicing her throat with a ceramic blade in the other. It was so quick Kennedy didn't even notice until she heard gurgling noises behind her when she turned around and saw Bobby Ann with blood running down her neck and chest falling to her knees wide eyed with fear.
"What the hell!" Kennedy said standing there in shock for a second before she ran forward and grabbed Bobby Ann before she could fall backwards and crack her head as well. Kennedy watched as the last of Bobby Ann's life ebbed away. Her eyes no longer focused, her last breath exiting her lungs. Kennedy looked up at her father and said.
"You bastards! So what, am I next?"
"It doesn't have to be that way sweetheart. Not if you consent to having Ernie's kid. All you have to do is copulate before the arks leave. If you want me to make it easier for you I can have him 'take' you."
Ernie had a big leering grin on his face at hearing that.
Kennedy looked at her father in disbelief and disgust but then her face cleared.
"I was just thinking about calling you a sick monster but then I remembered that I had always known that, so it shouldn't be a shock but, if Ernie or you think he can force me to do anything Ernie will have his testicles tied to the front of one of those arks."
"Lesbians always think they're so tuff." Ernie said to his boss with a smile.
Kennedy stood up and stared at them defiantly.
"Have at her Ernie." Her father told him.
Ernie made a grab for her and backed away quickly when she showed him a series of martial art moves that told him he wasn't dealing with some defenseless little girl. He smiled. He was confident in his ex-seals training. He used to be a highly sought after and skilled black op agent. His martial art skills were more than up to par to take care of some lezzie with a man hater complex. Besides he liked them feisty.
Kennedy on the other hand decided to lead the guy into a false sense of confidence, leading him to believe she knew some novices moves with some weak hits. But when Ernie got close enough and grabbed her she hit him with the side of her fist between the legs a few times with weak hits at a quick speed that added up to a enough pain for him to let go and back away.
"You should have worn a cup there, Ernie." She taunted.
Ernie growled and moved forward again.
Kennedy's father was a bit bewildered to see that his daughter knew something about fighting but knew Ernie was playing with her.
"Come on Ernie; take her down. We don't want to be late or it'll be the last time we're late for anything." He said.
Kennedy realized her father had a point and decided to be a little more aggressive as Ernie moved toward her. She allowed him to grab her wrist again and made a move to make the same move she did before allowing him to grab her other wrist in the process. With both his hand occupied she first head butted him breaking his nose and then kneed him in the groin. He let go and backed away once more.
"Keep that up and you won't be raping anyone Ernie, which is fine by me." she said.
This time Ernie was pissed. He wasn't going to let the little lesbo girl get the better of him so his next attack was in full commando mode as he approached her. It was then that Kennedy decided to start a monologue as she fought.
"Hey dad, listen to this, there are still some things you don't know about me. There are demons in this world and for as long as there have been demons there has been a girl imbued with mystical strength to beat them back called slayers. And guess what? She asked as she delivered a hit that lifted Ernie several feet into the air and sent him several yards across the room. Ernie hit his head on the ceiling and his back on the wall before he dropped to the floor. She walked over to Ernie who was disoriented and breathing heavy even though he had several cracked ribs. She grabbed him by the throat and pinned him against the wall and plunged her hand into his chest. When she removed it she had Ernie's heart in her hand much to her father's and Ernie's surprise.
"I'm a Slayer." She finished as she let Ernie's body drop to the floor as his life ended.
Her father looked at her in fear and disbelief. After the shock wore off he reached into his breast pocket. Kennedy got into a stance ready for whatever weapon her father had only to find out that he pulled out some kind of golden tickets.
"I don't care what the hell you call yourself. I'm not taking any lesbo freak with me. You're not my daughter. You can stay here and rot with you girlfriend and your so called demons." He said ripping up his extra tickets. "I wish your sister had lived. I'm sure she would never have been a disappointment." With that he began to cross the room to the exit when he was grabbed and spun around. He saw Kennedy's fist coming at him and then everything went black.
He awoke several minutes later to find his daughter tying his arms behind him and around a large steel pipe in the same room they had been in.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" He demanded.
"I bring a date to the end of the world and you have her killed. You made me realize something though. She wasn't the one. She was a fun romp in the sack sure, but I really didn't feel anything after the shock wore off. But I can't and won't let you get away with breaking my toys any more like you did when I was a kid and you were angry at something and took it out on everyone, Me, Mom, my sister. Oh and before I forget to tell you, my sister didn't break her neck falling out of that tree. She found out I liked girls and threatened to tell you…so I killed her".
Her father looked at her with contempt before his face cleared and said. "Well, I guess we're even because I killed your mother." He replied with a smirk.
Kennedy snorted and said. "I figured that a long time ago. The odd thing is they say that when a slayer kills a human they go crazy. Maybe because I killed before I was a slayer I didn't have to."
"Or maybe you already are you stupid b;*ch!" He yelled
"Or maybe we both are." She replied. "In any case I'm my father's daughter and it would seem I'm taking the reins as head of this branch of the Kinsey family."
"Like hell, when I get out of here I'll have you killed before I set sail."
Kennedy laughed. "I guess I hit you a little harder than I thought." She said as she reached into his breast pocket and pulled out the final gold ticket.
"I'll need this more than you. She said.
"I'll kill you! I'll kill you, you hear?" He yelled.
"It's kind of hard not to as I'm standing this close to you. You know I'm sure Uncle Robert being a former senator and former vice President has his ticket on one of these tin boats. At least I won't be without family."
"Let me out of this! Untie me! Do you hear me? Let me out of here! He began to scream." But Kennedy thought better to leave him that way and took a strip of her dead girlfriends sleeve and tied it around his head and across his mouth.
"I'll see you around dad. Oh, wait a minute, no… I won't." She said before leaving the room and leaving her father to scream into his gag.
/Scene Break/
In orbit on board the Hammond, everyone was in a flurry of activity as they desperately tried to find a way to beam up two of their crew from the earth's surface before it was too late.
"Have we got anything?" Former President of a land that no longer exists, Henry Hayes asked.
"Nothing yet sir, If Colonel Carter can find a way to rig the enhancers and reprogram them to enhance their own patterns then they should light up like a Christmas tree to our sensors and we can beam them up but we were just running simulations with the schematic for the enhancers we have in our system and we can't find a way that she'll be able to do it without a chip encoder and several parts they just don't have on hand down there.
"Is there any way of enhancing our sensors or possibly combining the Daedalus's sensors with ours?
The helmsmen was stunned because that was actually a good idea they hadn't considered. "Sir that could work, I'll contact the Daedalus right now and get them to coordinate a link."
Just then helmsmen number two spoke.
"Sir there is tidal wave heading towards the ark tunnels, twenty two minutes out."
/Scene Break/
On the earth's surface in the country of China within the ark tunnels Colonel Samantha Carter jumped up in frustration and walked away from the enhancer. Vala Mal Doran looked at her in concern.
"What's the matter?" She asked Sam.
"I just realized how futile this is. I just don't have the right equipment to do the job. Even if I did I don't even have the right parts."
"So, what do we do now?" Vala asked
"I'm out of ideas. I don't think we can get out of this."
"Well, you're obviously useless at this point. I guess it's time for the low-tec solutions only we lesser mortals can proved."
"Vala, you don't even understand the science or mechanics of the enhancers."
"No, but I have an idea that may give us a shot at surviving the end of the world."
"Huh?" Was the sound Sam made in bewilderment.
"I've been looking around these tunnels while you were working and found something very useful." Vala explained.
"What?" Sam wondered aloud.
"Come with me." Vala said as she ran off forcing Sam to follow. They came to a wall with a large door made of one inch square steel bars. Vala stopped and presented the door.
"A door?" Sam asked.
"This would be the door they closed off to the other ark, arks that work, arks that we might be able to find a way onto if we're crafty enough." Vala said.
"Vala, it would take a tractor to brake open that huge door."
Vala grabbed onto one of the bars and pulled. The door swung open with ease.
"Or a very good thief to pick the lock. It doesn't matter how fortified they make a door if they're going to put a cheap lock on it. Care to try our luck in getting passage onto one of those arks?" Vala stated.
Sam shook off her shock and said. "Right, let's get out of here before it's too late."
They started running again. Vala made short work of the next door they came to and entered into the area were a large crowed was yelling for the people on board the ship to open the doors.
"Oh this can't be good." Carter said.
/Scene Break/
In Scottland at Hogwarts School of witchcraft and wizardry the students that were staying at the school during the holidays were in the great hall waiting for dinner to appear. The normal din of the hall was quite subdued as there weren't as many children with gossip and other forms of carrying on. The students of this year could be considered the baby boom from the war with Voldamort. The many children that sat here now were some that had lost their parents and had no home to go to. It was better to stay here than go back to the orphanage. Yes, it was quite quiet throughout the hall so when an electronic ringing noise of a cell phone rang it was heard from one side of the hall to the other. At the same time Headmistress McGonagall jumped out of her seat, she looked as if she had been shocked or stung. It was so quick that her chair fell backwards. In reality the cellphone in her pocket was not only making that noise but was also vibrating. It was so unexpected that it scared the living daylight out of her.
"Oh, pardon me, I need to umm… excuse myself…excuse me." She said as she made her way to a side room, which caused the noise levels to escalate among the students. Electronics weren't supposed to work in Hogwarts.
Most of the other professors knew what that cell phone meant and many got very concerned looks on their faces, which only made the children gossip more with speculating. None of them came close to figuring out what was really going on. Professor's Flitwick and Sprout decided to follow her. When he opened the door he heard the last part of her end of the call.
"Yes, yes I understand, we have everything in place. We know what to do. And Hermione I just wanted to tell you I didn't only see you and Harry as former students. I loved the both of you like family. Oh and Hermione you should know…hello…hello" She said unsure if Hermione hung up or they were cut off. She heaved a great sigh when Filius made their presence known.
"Oh, Filius, Pomona, I'm afraid it has started. According to Hermione there is no longer such a place as the United States any more.
The professors just looked at her slack jawed and silent.
"We know our duty. We've been making a plan for it since we were told about it. You each know what to do so tell the others to get moving but don't let on to the children. Pomona , Here are the envelopes all addressed to Harry in Africa. Send every last owl. Many of them might not make that far of a journey. But at least we are pointing them in the right direction to salvation." Minerva ordered. Filius you know what to do.
They each nodded and left the room. On their way out Professor Septima Vector moved passed them to speak with Minerva.
"Yes Septima what can I do for you?" Minerva asked as if she didn't know.
"It's about what we're planning to do. Are you sure it's the right thing. I have no problem with the orphans but the students with families will have it hard. We should have at least gotten their parents permission."
"Septima, listen to me. Their parents couldn't be told as they would have found the whole concept insane. Look at what happened to poor Arthur. It's far too late to send them to their parents as we suspected it would be when the time came. We will be actually doing their families a disservice if we didn't try to save their children."
"We don't even know if what we have planned will work. It's all guess work and wishful thinking." Septima replied.
"Don't forget hope, Septima. That's what it's really all about. Septima, this is happening, and it's happening right now. We have work to do, so let's get to it. "
"Right, and Minerva, I just want you to know that I'm not opposed to what we've planned I just felt I needed to play devil's advocate." Septima stated.
"And you've done quite well. I've always been thankful for your council."
Septima nodded her head in acknowledgement and left the room passing Madam Rolanda Hooch on the way out.
"I feel like I'm abandoning ship while everyone rushes around saving what they can." Rolanda stated.
No need to feel that way, it's not like you're the only professor leaving, besides I couldn't relay our plans to Hermione before we were cut off so you have a very important job to do once you get to Africa. You have to tell them they will need to perform the ritual as soon as possible. I'm entrusting you to get the message through. Minerva said.
"Why didn't you just send the information with the owls?"
"The idea only came to us yesterday. Those envelopes had already been sealed by then and you know, once sealed they can only be opened by the person it's addressed to. Besides there are no certainties, Rolanda, many of them may not make it, perhaps none of them will."
"And maybe I won't make it." Rolanda replied.
Don't talk like that, of course you will. Minerva scalded.
Is that a certainty? Rolanda asked quirking an eyebrow.
With a stern face Minerva growled out a 'Yes'. Minerva said leaving no room for anymore backtalk.
Rolanda smiled as she came in for a hug.
I will miss you dear friend. She said.
And I you Rolanda. Minerva replied.
They parted and Rolanda left. Minerva started to feel very cold as she was saying goodbye to her longtime friends knowing what was coming and that this would be her end. She felt a tear fall and wiped her eyes watching her friend leaving the room. She cleared her throat and called out the name of the head house elf Trixie.
Yes Headmistress Kitty, what can Trixie be doing for you? She said.
It's the time we talked about Trixie. I know its short notice since I've only told you about it yesterday but has everything been prepared as I've asked? Minerva wondered.
We's had finished last night Professor Kitty but is it really happening as you's said?
"Yes Trixie, I'm afraid it is. The Americas are gone and soon the entirety of the U.K. will be gone. You need to get the other House elves ready and be quick. I'll do my part." Minerva told her sadly.
Trixie, popped away to direct the other elves leaving Minerva to straighten out her robes and check her hair to make sure her bun was in place before she left the room back out to the great hall. She took her position at the table but didn't sit down. She forced a smile upon her face without making it looked forced and called everyone's attention to her.
Everyone please, I have an announcement to make. She began.
Everyone became quiet as the headmistress spoke.
We are pleased to announce that the fabled room of requirement has once again revealed itself. This is the room that had been used by none other than Harry Potter and Hermione Granger to train the other students to fight the war and again to house students that were being persecuted by Death Eater. The staff and I have decided in honor of its reopening we have required the room to become a place to have a bit of a holiday party. The house elves will be there to serve food and drinks there will be music and other forms of entertainment. But most of all you will be the first of all the students to see the fabled room since Harry and Hermione went to school here. The other students will no doubt be very jealous upon hearing this when they return. So we decided dinner will also be served there for a change.
The truth was that the room had reappeared a month after the war. The Fiendfyre used by either Vincent Crabbe or Gregory Goyle finally was snuffed out for good, giving the room a chance to heal, as magical rooms do. The staff just didn't tell the students that it resurfaced or how to get into it so that they wouldn't use it as a snogging spot. But now it was hopefully going to be used as a life boat. It was just a theory that Hogwarts magic might be able to save them and in Minerva mind it would because she asked for a room to save the students from a disaster that would destroy the castle and a room had indeed appeared. It was stalked with many provisions which Minerva had the elves add to. There were enough stores of food to last the full complement of the student body for at least two months when only a month would do for so few since that was all the time that the students would have if Hermione didn't do the ritual to transfer Hogwarts magic to a new structure. She didn't know or even what to think about what would happen should the magic dissipate after the month was up. But it was still their best hope.
Minerva led the students out of the hall and up to the seventh floor corridor that held the room of requirement. Professor's Vector and Flitwick stood at the open door guiding everyone in. it was definitely a party atmosphere. There were small round tables all over the room and even a place to dance.
"After dinner is served deserts, snacks foods, and punch as well as other soft drinks will be offered on the snack table. There are restrooms in the far corner so you don't have to run down the hall. Professor Vector has offered to act in the capacity of chaperon for this event so be on your best behavior. As a headmistress's work is never really done I have work yet to do so I hope to see you all tomorrow with smiles on your faces from a terrific night. Happy holidays. Minerva announced.
The students cheered and yelled good tidings to her as she left the room.
Professor Vector wasn't sure if she believed that this plan would work. It would be nice if it did but if it didn't she would go out the way she wanted to, as a teacher at a prestigious school watching over her students fondly.
Once the door shut it disappeared and became a stone wall once more.
I hated tricking the students like this, Filius but it was the only way I could think of to keep them inside the room. We don't even know if it will work. Minerva said.
Weather it works or not, it a good thing you're doing Minerva. We had to at least try. At least we will go out knowing that we did our best for them. Filius replied.
She looked at the wall with a tear in her eye and said. "Goodbye children." Sobbing, Filius led her away down the corridor to the privacy of her office.
/Scene Break/
In Cardiff Wales the United Kingdom Willow Buffy and Hermione appeared at the slayer house. There were only a few slayers staying here but they were the last slayers on the continent and they weren't going to leave them behind. They had already evacuated G.C. England. The earthquakes were getting rough here and they knew from Dawns last announcement that there would be a tidal wave heading their way within an hour or less. Hermione had dropped and broke her phone during a call to headmistress McGonagall caused by a quake. They still had Buffy's and Willow's phones but they didn't have Minerva's number in their contact listing and Hermione didn't memorize it. She wasn't worried about it too much because she knew she had gotten the message out. Buffy was surprised to get another call from Dawn now that she was safe in Africa. Dawn wouldn't be able to give them updates on the condition of the world without the technology of the situation rooms in the GC Academies. She just hoped that there wasn't an emergency in Africa. She was relieved to hear that everything was okay and surprised that Xander had already set up a situation room in Africa. That's what they get for not reading his reports. She also said that the bank Xander and Harry fixed up was amazing and that she needed to see it. So, Dawn gave her the newest updates and they ended the call. Brevity was important at this point. She turned back to her Slayers and found out there was a problem. They wouldn't leave without Kathy and Sally their 'friends-in-the-know' at Sparrow & Nightingale investigations luckily they were only right down the road. So, the slayers had called them to come over immediately. Everyone met in the front yard everyone had their bags and were ready to go. What they didn't know was that they had an eavesdropper.
Detective Gwen Cooper had been put on leave after her last investigation into the Guardian Council when she accused a former deceased G.C. student of being a drug dealing prostitute to the students grieving mother. Not that she meant to say that out loud and to her face but things happened so fast sometimes and she found herself running off at the mouth before she could stop it. That had cost her dearly. She was warned to stay away from the Guardian Council and now she finds them leaving. She knew she shouldn't be here but with all these little quakes she figured that no one would notice her now with everyone running about and the rest of the police force trying to keep order. She was behind some bushes a mere seven feet from them as she listened to everything they were saying.
"Hi everyone, what's going on, besides all this shaking that is?" Kathy Nightingale asked.
"Yeah, with the information blackout in this country, it has us digging for any news. Sally Sparrow added.
"Well, all the news is bad. You don't want to know but I can tell you this we're getting the hell out of here and if you want to go with us you'd be welcome."
"What do you mean? We can't leave. Our business can't afford any time off." Kathy warned.
"There's a good reason for the blackout. By tomorrow this entire block will have disappeared from the face of the earth."
This statement may have worried Sally and Kathy but it concerned Gwen who was listening intently. 'Were these people terrorist planning to blow up parts of Cardiff or at least had information about a terrorist attack?' She thought.
"Okay but what about the other people who live here?" Sally asked
"Believe me it hurts me to think of all the people that we have to leave behind but there's nothing that we can do, it's much too large of a scale."
Just then Willow noticed something with her magical senses.
"Lily, what is it you've got there?"
In Lily's hands was a jar with a pink glittering grit.
"Oh well you see, Sandy decapitated a Briananker and we knew that his demon dust was something sought after by you guys. So we collected all he left behind to give to you."
"Yeah, you should have seen it. I shoved my knife under its chin until it came out the top of his skull." Sandy announced the gruesome details.
"Okay, that's fine but we need to get out of here now before…" Buffy began but was interrupted.
"Hold it right there." Gwen yelled coming out of the bushes with an illegal revolver drawn.
"Oh not her again." Sandy said.
"Whose she?" Buffy asked.
"Gwen what the hell are you doing here?" Sally shouted at her.
"She's the local busy body." Lily explained.
"She's with the police but she was suspended last we heard." Sandy added.
"Her name is Gwen Cooper." Kathy announced.
"That's detective Gwen Cooper to you Miss Nightingale." Gwen announced believing her friend to be a criminal.
"What's all this about then?" Sally asked.
"Wait a minute, Gwen Cooper? Are you the one that went to my friend's mother and accused her dead daughter of being a prostitute and a drug dealer?" Buffy asked angrily.
"What?" Kathy questioned not believing Gwen would do that?
"That doesn't matter anymore. I just overheard all of you talking about murder and drugs and let's not forget about blowing up the neighborhood."
"She's been harassing us since we moved in. Following us making up all kinds of accusation about us because we go out at night and she was suspended from the force when she was doing it."
"What?" Asked Kathy again?
"I told you so. Gwen's not much of a detective these days but more of an opportunist. She was quite good once. Sally said to her friend.
"You can't play dumb, I heard you. Brutally murdering a drug dealer named Brian Anker was it? Then stealing his drugs you have in that jar there. Is demon dust the name of the new street drug these days? So tell me how do you plan on blowing up the city?"
The situation would have made them laugh if they weren't so dire. With a gun in their face and a tidal wave headed their way not to mention that she really didn't like this woman for the way she treated a grieving mother like Jackie. They needed to defuse the situation as quickly as possible. Buffy thought.
"First of all a Briananker demon is just that a demon. They tear the lungs from their victims. Their dust can be used in various potions that keep other demons away." Willow explained angrily.
"What the hell are you talking about?" Gwen asked.
"And we aren't blowing up the city. The reason why there is an information blackout is because all these earthquakes are going to destroy Wales, England, Scottland and most everywhere else. North and South America are already gone. We watched California sink into the ocean and Yellowstone volcano erupt." Buffy said with angry tears in her eyes looking at Kathy and Sally.
"Oh my god!" Kathy and Sally said believing her.
"Is it an apocalypse Miss Buffy?" Lily asked with wide eyes.
"Oh, this is such bullshit…" Gwen ground out disbelievingly.
While Buffy was talking an earthquake started. Gwen struggled to keep her balance. Hermione pulled the portkey rope out of her bag. Holding on to one end she threw it to the furthest person from her who happened to be Lily. Lily caught the rope without being aware Hermione was about to throw it. You got to love slayer instincts.
The earthquake paused.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Gwen said reaming her gun.
"Everyone needs to grab the rope so we can get out of here." Hermione announced without caring about the gun wielding detective.
Gwen backed away thinking that these women were about to attack her with ropes.
"You two as well." Hermione said to Kathy and Sally.
"How does this work, then?" Sally asked
"Very well, thanks for asking." Hermione said.
As Sally and Kathy touched the rope Gwen stepped forward.
"Don't touch that. Everyone drop the rope." Gwen demanded with authority that wasn't supposed to be ignored.
Just then the quakes restarted.
At the same time Sandy shot out her hand impossibly fast grabbing the gun and raising it as well as Gwen's hand above their heads with such strength that it amazed Gwen. Then she did the impossible and crushed the gun in one hand breaking a couple of Gwens fingers in the process.
The quakes became more violent as streets cracked and building fell.
"We don't like guns." Sandy growled looking Gwen in the eyes.
Gwen backed away clutching her injured hand. Not understanding what just happened. It just wasn't possible.
Just then the crack in the street became a large crevice that buildings were disappearing into.
The others grabbed the rope and just as Hermione was about to say the password Gwen got a determined look in her eye and said. "No!" she reached out with her good hand and grabbed the rope everyone was hanging on to ready to pull it away from them with one hand if need be, only for her to feel a pull behind her navel and be swept up in a hurricane.
The quakes subsided once more.
Buffy Willow and Hermione were the only people left behind. Hermione pulled out two more portkeys and said.
"This one will take you two to Italy. I need to save my parents."
"Are you sure you don't want company. I can help pack up their house."
"That would be helpful seeing as I can't do that wiccan spell. The wizarding equivalent takes much longer."
Willow turned to her friend and said. "Buffy, why don't you go and get everything started at GC Italy while I help Hermione. We'll be along a soon as we're done."
Buffy nodded and said good luck before portkeying away.
It was then that Willow realized something.
"Hey, didn't you say that you had an uncle or someone that lived in Wales when we were fighting Aboddon? Actually that was when we first met come to think of it."
Golly, that seems like a lifetime ago but my mother told me her moved to London a while back.
They both grabbed the portkey and disappeared as the city they left behind began to quake once more and continued to fall away.
/Scene Break/
Willow and Hermione appeared in Crawely England in the United Kingdom in front of a fine and well-built brick house, in an upper scale neighborhood. It didn't look like the earthquakes had touched this area yet.
"Is this your parents' house?" Willow asked.
"Yes, I did tell you they were dentists didn't I?"
"Yeah, I think you might have mentioned it. Hey, we can probably use a couple of dentists in Africa. We should consider packing up there practice as well."
"We'll see…Willow you should know that my parents and I haven't been getting along too well for a while now, so you might be walking into a mine field with me. Will you be okay with that?" Hermione asked.
"…yeah I suppose so." Willow said slightly uncomfortable but now that she was warned she was prepared. "It's nothing I haven't seen before with old friend's and new slayers."
Hermione nodded and turned to the door and rang the bell. It didn't take long for Mrs. Granger to answer the door with a smile. Upon seeing Hermione and her friend the smile on her face diminished ever so slightly that no one but Hermione would notice.
"Hello Mum, may we come in?" Hermione asked.
"Of course dear, you shouldn't have to ask." Her mother said eyeing her daughter's friend.
They walked in an Mrs. Granger showed them to the living room where Hermione's father was sitting in his wing back chair doing the crossword puzzle in the paper.
"Oh, Hermione to what do we owe this surprise visit. You usually show up every other Sunday." He asked.
"Hello Dad, this is my friend Willow Rosenberger she's one of the heads of the Guardian Council School for gifted girls." Willow these are my parents Dr. Emma Granger and Dr. Daniel Granger.
"It's a pleasure to meet you Miss Rosenberg." Emma replied.
"The pleasure is mine I'm sure." Willow said.
"So, Hermione did you get a new job with the Guardian Council? Not that I'm disappointed, I know that it's a very posh school but I thought you were still trying to get that government job. Her mother said knowing it was Hermione's sore spot and these days she just loved rubbing it in her daughters face.
"No mother, I have totally given up on that job seeing how it will be destroyed by the end of the day along with most of Britain."
"What are you talking about?" Her mother questioned.
"Dad, is that today's paper?" Hermione asked turning to her father
"Um, no it's yesterday's. We couldn't find a store with today's paper. We suspected that the presses broke down." He wondered why she didn't answer her mothers question.
"Have you seen the news on the telly." She continued.
"No, all we get is snow, same thing with the neighbors. The BBC channels must be having labor disputes again." He suggested.
"Are you saying that there related?" Her mother asked.
"Yes, there is an information blackout across the whole continent."
"And you're saying that it's because the whole country is going to be destroyed?" Her mother asked bewildered
"It's already happened to the United States and South America. The government is trying to keep its people from knowing so there won't be riots in the streets. They want us to keep calm and die."
Emma Granger stared at her daughter skeptically before opening her mouth and saying. "And I suppose the only way to avoid this is for you to save us."
"Well that was the general idea yes." Hermione responded.
"I see… and what happens if we say we won't be going? That we'll be staying right here."
"That would be mental. Why would you want to stay here and die?"
"It simple dear, we don't believe you. Oh, I'm sure your people have something to do with the press now that I think about it but we haven't believed very much of anything you have to say since you brought us home from Australia and have decided that we wouldn't put any trust into anything you told us after that day. We would have to check for ourselves if you told us that the sky was blue. So no we won't be going with you."
"I did that to save your lives. They were going to kill you. I found out later that they were in this house looking for you or any clue to where you went."
"We were so happy when you made friends back when we sent you off to that boarding school. You met those boys and you seemed to have a life. Now I find that it was the sorriest thing we ever did when we sent you of to that school and that you met those boys, one was the cause of so much trouble the other you want to marry is a bigot."
"We're no longer engaged mother, because of that and other things I found out about. I was going to tell you about it but I was too upset with myself."
"I don't care. But it serves you right." Her mother replied coldly.
This declaration shocked not only Hermione but Willow as well.
"The boy was an ass. You should have married him. That way I would know you were miserable. It would have been very fitting."
Hermione choose to ignore her hurtful comments.
"Mother, it's not safe here you have to come with me."
"Or what, will you take our memories again? Will you set me up as a lounge singer and your father as my piano player husband? Will we even be married this time? Where will you send us, America? Oh that's right you said America has been destroyed hasn't it, how about China then?"
"Mother please listen to me, I've learned my lesson I would never do that again but you'll die if you stay here."
"Says you, and as I've said 'we' don't believe you."
"But mother…"
"Enough! Hermione you've worn out your welcome you and your friend can go now."
Defeated Hermione gathered herself and said. "I have a few things I have here I need to get before this house gets washed away."
"And if I say you can't have them?"
"You already think so little of me, I'd like to see you try and stop me." She said angrily.
"Take what you want and get the hell out of our home. And I'm telling you Miss Granger I don't want to see you at my door ever again."
"You won't see me again Mum. You'll be dead." Hermione said without emotion.
Emma shook her head and rolled her eyes in disbelief. As Hermione pulled her wand and went to her old room and summoned everything into her beaded bag.
When she came back the living room Willow came to her side.
"We can always save your uncle." She whispered but Emma had heard her.
"You can't do that; my brother John doesn't know anything about your people Hermione. You'll only have your wizard police coming to his apartment to erase his memories."
"And I told you it won't matter. By the end of the day there won't be a Ministry of Magic. I'll even prove it. She went out the front door and pulled her wand. She began waving it at the street corner turning the lamp posts into tall palm trees impossible for this climate. She then tuned a parked car into a rhinoceros and let it start ramming other parked cars setting off their car alarms. She saw the neighbor's bicycles and set them rolling up and down the street without riders. She turned to the noisy neighbor's beautiful house. Hermione had never liked her. She waved her wand and aged it about one hundred years. The red paint job that was fresh last year was now dirty and brown and pealing. The siding was falling off the shutters were hanging on an angle as were the gutters. She then white washed her parent's red brick house and spotted it with large multicolored poke-a-dots.
Her mother watched the chaos and said. "Alright you had your fun change everything back."
"I'm leaving now mother and I won't be back. She then magically made a huge sign on her parents front lawn that read 'My daughter Hermione the witch did all of this.' The sign pointed directly at her parent's front door. She then stood in front of her mother and wrapped her arms around her and said. I am sorry I did what I did the last time. I'm sorry that it was so bad you can't forgive me and I'm sorry that the mistrust I instilled in you is going to kill you and daddy. Good by mother. She said breaking the hug that wasn't returned. She then grabbed Willows hand and apparated away.
Just then Dan came to the door to see what was going on. He was astonished.
"Are you sure we shouldn't have listened to her this time sweetheart."
"Oh please Daniel, can you really believe that the world is ending? I don't know what she was up to but it couldn't be anything good."
"Her old room is barren now. It's just a big empty room. All the photos and memorabilia of her and us are gone. It's like we never had a daughter."
"If I didn't think we'd be chasing our tails I'd call the police. It's just as well. We should never have had a child in the first place." She said and pulled her husband back into the house as the neighbors were starting to come out of their houses to see what the commotion was about.
/Scene Break/
Hermione and Willow arrived in London. It was then that Hermione broke down.
"Oh Willow, I've killed my parents."
"No you didn't. This is not your fault. You're just fulfilling their final wishes." Willow suggested.
"They didn't believe me."
"That's because your mother seems to be distrusting and unforgiving."
"That's because I took their memories."
"Yeah, it was like reliving my past. I did the same thing to my girlfriend because I didn't want to argue with her and then tried doing it to Buffy and it somehow backfired and did it to all my friends including me. I was very arrogant back then."
"This wasn't about arrogance I was trying to keep them safe." Hermione explained.
"Taking someone's memories is a very personal thing. I learned that the hard way."
"Don't you think I know that Willow? I've learned it the same way after all."
"Yeah, I suppose you did. I'm preaching to the choir I suppose."
They were quiet for a moment as Hermione gathered herself.
"So, is this your uncle's brownstone?" Willow asked.
"Um No, he rents a room upstairs. The landlord lives on the first floor."
"Hermione walked up to the door and knocked. All of the sudden they heard someone running down the staircase at full speed yelling, "I got it."
As the man opened the door out of breath he said "yes" even before he saw who was there. His brow furrowed as recognition set in. "Hermione?"
"Hello Uncle John, did we come at a bad time?"
"Um well no, but you mother…"
"Didn't come with us I'm afraid." Hermione finished.
Just then they heard a woman's voice.
"Oh John really, running to the door like that won't bring him back any quicker. Mercy sakes you might have just as well been running into danger if it was those men coming back."
"Your right I hadn't thought of that. I'm sorry. Thank you for your concern. Um, Mrs. Hudson I'd like you to meet my niece Hermione Granger and her friend umm…"
"Oh I'm sorry, where are my manors uncle John Miss Hudson I'd Like you to meet my friend Willow Rosenberg. Willow this is my uncle Dr. John Watson and his land lord and friend Mrs. Hudson."
"It's a pleasure." They said almost in unison.
"What's going on you said something about some men?" Hermione asked
"It's nothing you, needn't bother yourself with."
"Uncle John there are things you don't know about me that may be able to help you if you tell us what's going on." Hermione said.
John sighed and began to explain as he led them up the stairs to his apartment.
"I live here with a roommate. You may have heard of him, his name is Sherlock Holmes he's an investigator."
"Oh my goddess, you're that John Watson the one with the blog. I've read it; you and Mr. Holms are amazing. Hermione why didn't you ever tell me?"
"Um, I don't really know what the big deal is here Willow." Hermione replied.
"Mr. Holms and your uncle aren't just investigators they famous investigators."
"Sherlock likes the term police consultants. Anyway about eighteen hours ago he was abducted from this very room when several armed men pushed their way in and cold-cocked me. I was still conscious enough to see them drug and haul Sherlock away. I'm very worried about him."
"Do you have any leads as to who they were?" Willow asked.
"Oh, we know exactly who it was." John said indicating himself and Mrs. Hudson. "It was Sherlock's brother Mycroft. He works for the government. Hell, he is the government. He even called me a poofter on his way out."
"Please John, language." Mrs. Hudson scolded.
"You said he's with the government?" Hermione asked. "Willow do you think?"
"If he really is that high up in the government then, yes I do."
"Do you think you know something?" asked John.
"It's actually why we're here Uncle John. If Mycroft Holmes is so high in the government then he'd know what the other governments of the world know. The earth's crust is super, super heating causing them to shift that's why this country has an information blackout. The Americas have already sunk. We saved handfuls of people as we could but those entire countries are gone now. If that information got out, there would be rioting and Mycroft must have got tickets for one of the arks for himself and his brother."
"Arks? The end of the world? Are you serious?"
"See I told you." Came a familiar voice from John's phone sitting on the table.
"Mum?" Hermione asked.
"Your Mother called just before you got here. She said you just left her house a minute ago. Either your mother can't tell time or I have to ask how you got here so fast."
"I'm a witch. Mum was telling the truth. I can disappear from one place and appear in another. That's how we got here."
"Hermione you have all the neighbors at my door and now the police have arrived." Her mother announced. Cancel what you've done.
It's your problem now mum. I promised you I wouldn't darken your door anymore. Besides, it will all be over in a few hours.
"Why what happens in a few hours?" John asked.
"There's a tidal wave headed this way that will wipe this country out." Willow explained.
"Can you believe this garbage John?" Emma asked.
"Earth crust displacement." John said absently.
"You know of it." Willow asked surprised.
"Sherlock was watching a kind of cartoon about it not long ago." John explained.
"That must be Charlie Frost's video." Willow told Hermione.
"Oh please John not you too." Emma said.
"It makes sense. Mycroft would want to save Sherlock because he sees him as a national treasure."
"From what I've read he should be." Willow said.
"Sherlock must have known or at least suspected. Do you know where these arks have been built?"
"They must have taken Sherlock to China. He should be okay but we need to get you to safety."
"How in the hell are we going to get there in time? You said that this wave is headed here soon. We won't even have enough time to get out of the country in time."
"We're witches remember?" Willow said.
"Are you serious?" he asked.
"Mum can at least confirm that much."
They were met with silence when everyone turned to the phone.
"Fine." Hermione said as she pulled her wand and turned the coffee table into a pig.
"That was an antique table." Miss Hudson announced.
"It still is." Hermione said as she changed it back.
John was stunned.
"John please, don't believe her." Emma begged.
"Why are you so keen on me disbelieving your daughter?" John asked.
"Because I betrayed her trust a few years ago to save her life and she's never forgiven me." Hermione explained.
"Well, I know how that is. We're both in our thirty's and she still brings up the Melody doll incident every Christmas."
"That doll would be a collector's item if you hadn't thrown it into the garbage disposal."
"After thirty years any doll would be. Besides it would probably sit on your mantel as a status symbol. It was probably the best thing I could do for you. One less thing you have to dust. If I were you I'd listen to you daughter Em."
Just then there was an audible click as Emma slammed the phone down ending the call.
The room was quiet for a few moments before John said. "I'm sorry about your parents Hermione but I know your mother, there's no way that you'll get them to go willingly until it's too late."
"I know and I can't wait that long, I have other people depending on me."
"So can you get us to China?" he asked.
"You don't need to go to China. In the end the arks will end up in Africa. It's the only pace that will be left according to prophecy." Hermione stated.
"You're gambling on prophecy?" John asked.
"In the magical society I come from, our prophecies almost always come true." Hermione explained.
"Almost always? " He asked.
"You have to be able to interpret them correctly. But yes. Will you come?"
"I don't see the harm in going. If you're wrong we can always come back. So yes just let me gather a few things."
"Allow us?" Willow said.
Hermione opened her bag and Willow chanted. Everything began slowly circling around the room before moving swiftly into the bag when large pieces of furniture seemed to head in John's direction. John jumped out of the way when he though he was going to get hit with the wingback chair only to be hit in the side with the sofa. Everything stopped as he cried out in pain.
Uncle John, are you alright?
John was in a lot of pain as he answered. "I think my hip is broken."
Didn't we tell you to stand still?
Actually I don't think we did Hermione. Willow said
And I know you didn't. Mrs. Hudson reprimanded.
Oh. Then this is all our fault. I'm so sorry Uncle John.
John couldn't answer as all he could do was groan in pain.
I'll have to give you a pain numbing spell so we can travel. Once we get there our med witch can have you fixed up in no time. Hermione said and turned to Willow. I'll have to go with them. Will you be okay to finish this without me?
Sure you need to take care of your family first. You go we'll be okay. I have my own beaded bag so everything should be fine.
Uncle John I'm going to have to put some spells on you so we can travel.
Yes I know; I hear you. That pain numbing spell sounds great at the moment if you would. He groaned in pain.
Oh, right just needed to ask first. She said and cast the spell to Johns immediate relief.
That's incredible! I have an injury that I should have morphine to be able to manage and you made it disappear with a wave of your stick.
It's only temporary I'm afraid, very temporary and after the jostling you'll receive from the portkey it will wear off even quicker, but I'm afraid it's a necessary evil.
John looked at the bag that had sucked in the contents of his apartment and said.
"Where?…How?..."
"Don't worry everything is safe and retrievable." Willow said.
Looking around the now empty room they turned to Miss Hudson.
"Will you be coming with us?" John asked.
"Hmm, let me think. Go with you or stay here and die. I don't know John they're both tempting offers don't you think?" She said sarcastically with a smile.
"Yes, silly question." He replied
"That's an understatement." All three women said in unison.
"Forgive me I'm injured." he replied.
"Can we do the same thing to my apartment?" Miss Hudson asked.
"Of course." They said.
Willow and Mrs. Hudson went down stairs and sucked everything she owned into her bag before going back to John's apartment to tell them they were ready to go.
"Alright Uncle John I'm going to put a few more spells on you to get you ready for travel. The first is a leg locker curse and just to be sure you're immobilized the second is a petrifying spell."
"I understand, sounds good. Let's do it." He replied as he could feel the effects of the numbing spell wearing off." He said.
After that was done Willow had to ask. "Are you sure you don't want to make your parents go to Africa?"
"And Kidnap them? No, they only distrust me at the moment; they'd only hate me for it if I did it again. Then they'd make my life unbearable over it even if they found what I said to be true in the end. Besides, I wouldn't be able to live with myself either."
"Okay if you're sure."
"I'm not, I'll miss them for the rest of my life but I can't do that to them again."
Hermione then took out the portkey and had Mrs. Hudson hold onto the rope while she tied the other around the middle of her uncle. She then held onto the rope herself and the activated the portkey. They were gone leaving Willow alone before she disappeared on her way to meet Buffy in Italy.
Author's question: Who can tell me what Mrs. Grangers full maiden name was before she married according to this story and who of you are just realizing it now?
A.N. (Reviews can make a story better)