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Chapter 54
/Still Day Five, Month One, Year One/
Jane Rizzoli and Maura Isles came back to their tent after talking with Sally Sparrow and Kathy Nightingale at their tent. They had a lot to think about concerning Magic and things that go bump in the night. Maura Isles was surprised that she hadn't run into vampires and the like in the past but upon reflection she had heard that a couple of the cadavers that had come across her table had disappeared in transit to the funeral home which made her wonder. As they got closer to the tent they found a man standing at the entrance. They had seen him helping out, aiding the mourning people and the injured but didn't know his name.
"Excuse me but would one of you be Jane Rizzoli"" the man said.
"Yeah, that's me." Jane said.
"I'm Kevin Grevera. I've been asked to head a small police force here and I'm trying to find people I can recruit as officers. My research has led me to you. I understand you were a detective in Boston."
"That's correct." She replied.
"Well, I was wondering if you would consider helping out. Of course it'll be a demotion to being more of a peace keeper than a detective at the moment. I have no idea about the pay at the moment but considering that the Guardian Council have given us food to eat and shelter that are better than most California apartments even though they are just tents I'm hoping you can forego for a bit."
"Um, actually we were just discussing what occupation we can do to fit in." Jane replied.
"We?" Kevin looked to Maura Isles. "Were you with the police force as well as well Miss?"
"I was an M.E. with the Boston police department." Maura replied.
"Hmm. I don't think there's an opening for that at the moment?" Kevin replied.
"Actually, I'm looking to find something scientific or maybe something that can help me understand magic more." Maura announced
"Hmm. Off hand I'd point you to ether Willow Rosenberg or Nina Ash. Willow would be the better source of information but her roll in helping to build this town keeps her very busy at this time. Nina was the one I went to when I needed information back in California. She had a hotel who's cliental consisted of Vampire and demon hunters as well as teaching werewolves to become moon wolves." Kevin informed.
"Ooo that sound exactly like the kind of person I'd like to talk to. Were can I find her?" Maura announced.
"She's in B section tent twelve." Kevin replied
"B section?" Jane asked.
"That's the road behind this one. This is C section." Kevin informed.
"Right and we're tent twenty six." Maura replied.
"How do you know that?" Jane asked.
"They told us when they assigned it to us. I think you might have still been in shock at the time." Maura announced.
"How are the non magical police officers going to keep the peace if there is a threat from magic or dare I say demons?" Jane asked.
"I've already been asking a few displaced aurors formerly from England… those are the magical police."
"They have police?" Maura wondered.
"From what I've heard they had there own government. The United Kingdom's Minister of Magic is even here someplace."
"How did we miss this?" Maura asked in amazement.
"That would probably be magic miss. As far as any demon threat we are to inform the slayer and they will take care of it. So, will you consider helping out Miss Rizzoli?" Kevin asked.
"Well, I do have my nephew to take care of." Jane said.
"I can do that while I try to interview people to find out how magic works." Maura told her.
Jane looked to Kevin and asked. "Are we sure that these moon wolves are safe? I don't want T.J. anywhere near unsafe magic or creatures."
"They're safe miss. I've known Nina for years. She's a good teacher and had strict safety precautions that kept her students from harming others until they were trained and learned control."
A few more seconds went by as Jane considered the position.
"Alright, I'm in when do I start and were do I report."
"For now we are operating out of G section tent two until we have better structures around here and you can start tomorrow."
"How many people do you have so far?" Maura asked.
"Besides me and Jane there are two detectives from Cascade, Washington State by the names Jim Ellison and Blare Sandberg and then there's an auror named Harry Potter. Tomorrow, you'll be helping us go through the rest of the names on my list to recruit more officers. You can start at seven."
"Oh great, a recruitment drive. I should have held out a few days. She said with a sigh."
Too late now. See you tomorrow Rizzoli. Kevin said with a smile as he said goodbye and left for his next appointment.
/Scene Break/
At the moment Kevin finished talking to Jane, Jim and Blare had taken it upon themselves not to wait until morning to do a little patrolling early. It was mid day and they were basically making sure that everything and everyone was ok. They didn't expect any thieves, riots or fights at this point but doing a basic once around town couldn't hurt. Just like in Cascade Blare had brought some binoculars to somewhat keep up with his partners heightened senses. As they got to the top of the hill Blair looked down on the town with them.
"You know you're going to get in trouble as a peeping Tom if someone sees you looking their way. Those are to be handed out to the people watching for approaching terrorist." Jim said.
"Yeah, I guess your right." Blair said dropping the binoculars and let them hang around his neck. He looked away from the town and towards the horizon and saw some big birds.
"Should we be concerned about buzzards? Aren't they supposed to fly above dead bodies?"
"Only if they are circling and even then it just might be a dead animal. Jim said as he turned to see what Blair was looking at. Not…our… Blair, gather the Scoobies, all of them. Now! Hurry!"
Blair didn't ask questions he just did what he was told and ran to G section tent two and grabbed the bull horn and announced for all of the Scoobies to get to the top of the hill, forming his words as an emergency. It didn't take long for Xander, Giles, Dawn, Willow, and Oz to get there. Since Harry was talking to Xander at the time and Hermione had been consulting Willow they had come along as well
"What's going on what the emergency?" Willow asked.
"There's a flock of owls headed this way." Jim announced.
The Scoobies looked to the horizon and saw several specks that seemed to be headed their way.
"You called us for owls?" Giles asked.
"Wizards use them to deliver messages Mr. Giles." Hermione explained.
"I guess some of the wizards will be getting a lot of mail then." Xander said.
"The owls aren't the reason I called you here. Do you see that larger dot that's flying along with them?" Jim asked.
"What is that, a buzzard? Will it endanger the owls?" Dawn asked.
"Oh my gosh! I don't believe it." Blair said looking through the binoculars.
"What is it?" Willow asked and Blair handed her the binoculars over his shoulder so that she could look through them without taking them from around his neck.
It took a bit for her to adjust them and find the thing in the sky she had been looking for but when she did she screamed unintelligibly into Blair's ear as she dropped the glasses and began running towards the growing speck.
"What the hell is going on?" Xander asked in urgency.
Willow was about a hundred yards away as she screamed. "Buffy!"
The rest of the Scoobies looked at one another in bewilderment but Dawn took the binoculars from around Blair's neck and he gave them to her so he wouldn't get another dose of screeching and carrying on as he liked his hearing.
"Oh my goddess… it's her… it's really her." Dawn confirmed.
By this time Willow was another hundred yards out hoping and hollering Buffy's name, hopping and jumping as she went when all of the sudden in her joy Willow's feet left the ground and didn't come back down. Willow didn't even seem to notice as she only had eyes for Buffy. She rose higher and higher until she was on even par with her friend as she got closer Willow noticed that Buffy looked really sunburned and dirty not to mention totally exhausted. She was hardly able to keep upright on the broom.
Back on land Hermione was mind boggled as she watched and tried to understand what was happening in front of her.
"How… what… I mean… that's not possible. None of this is possible. Slayers can't ride brooms and how in the world is Willow flying without one?"
"I think Willow found her happy thought." Xander said smiling as he referred to Peter Pan.
"It doesn't work that way." She snapped but then looked at him apologetically while Xander only smiled back.
"I can't believe it, Buffy's beaten the odds once again. She's…remarkable." Giles said knowing the word wasn't even remotely enough to explain his slayer.
In the air Willow was about ten feet away when Buffy collapsed and fell from her broom. Willow had caught her just in time.
"Buffy…Buffy, don't worry I've got you." Willow said as Buffy looked at her and then down at the ground so far below them and then back at Willow.
"You've got me?... whose got…. Wait a minuet… I'm not playing Lois Lane to your Superman… woman." Buffy corrected.
Willow laughed loud and the next thing ether one of them knew Willow's lips locked on Buffy's. Then Willow realized what she was doing and broke the kiss.
"Oh my goddess Buffy, I'm so sorry."
Buffy gave her friend a tired smile and said. "Don't mention it. You're a good kisser by the way so; don't let anyone tell you otherwise." Buffy said a little out of it.
Willow just hugged her as she brought them both down to earth as everyone from the hill ran to them.
Everyone caught up with them and they all started to talk at once.
"Is she alright?" Dawn asked.
"She nearly fell." Xander said.
"I don't understand. How were you able to use a broom?" Hermione asked.
Willow then took charge.
"Listen people, what Buffy really needs right now is space, medical attention. Food, water, rest and a bath wouldn't go amiss ether so everyone pick a task and get to it." She said in her best authoritative voice.
"Dawn, get some power bars and Harry and I will go to the grocery trailer and prepare her a full meal." Xander said.
"I'll get the energy and protein drinks." Giles announced.
"I'll inform Katie she has incoming." Oz informed.
"And I want to take a look at that broom." Hermione said.
"No!" Buffy said urgently. "No one touches that broom. It was kind enough to save my life and I owe it and one of those owls for that."
Harry and Hermione looked at Buffy as if she might have been out in the sun too long, which she was. But then Buffy did something that totally gob smacked them when she said. "Broom come!" And the thing flew to her hand from ten yards away. Only Harry and Hermione were floored at this display as the others walked off. Giles came up behind them.
"The problem you're having in understand any of this is that we all try to think outside of the box. Buffy however, has never been aware there was one." He said and walked away to do his task.
Day Six, Month One, Year One.
Arthur Weasley had been having breakfast with his family when the owl delivered a letter to him.
Looking at the scrawled hand writing he realized that it was from his son George but didn't advertise it because for some reason he had a bad feeling about it.
Upon opening the letter and reading its contents a tear slid down his cheek. The rest of the family had been looking his way as he read and knew something was wrong. Arthur silently left the table for his bedroom. Bill took the letter his father left behind and quickly read the content have pretty much the same reaction as his father but knew the others were waiting to find out what it was all about. He cleared his throat and began to read.
Dear Dad,
I hope this letter finds you well. (Jeeze I sound like Percy) anyway by this time I've been warned about the tidal wave headed for us and decided to write and send off this letter to let you know why I'm not there with you.
The thing is I've been very depressed for a very long time, since the battle of Hogwarts actually. Sure I put on a brave face day after day and would laugh a hardy laugh when prompted but that's the nature of a prankster. Never letting on the emotions that you know will get you in trouble. The day Fred died was the day I fell helplessly into a deep pit that I never found a way out of. He was the other half of my soul. Without him nothing was funny anymore. We always created thing together. I hadn't been able to come up with anything new for the shop or anything new since, that weren't already thought up by us a long time ago. All I had to do was build it. I want to let you know (and this is very hard to write) that since that day I had given some serious thought to (I'm sorry) offing myself. But I knew that it was cowardly so I did the brave thing and lived. But once I was told about the cleansing I got it into my head that this was nature giving me a chance to just let my life come to an end and allow me to be with Fred again. Dad, please don't be mad at me or sad, I'm where I want to be. I'm with my twin brother planning and plotting our pranks into the next great adventure. Give the family my love and try to live the happiest and most fulfilling life you can. This isn't goodbye but a so long until we met again. I love you Dad you were the greatest, never think otherwise.
With love, George.
"Poor Arthur, and the rest of you. I'm so sorry for your loss. I'm sorry I never got to know him he sounded like a lot of fun." Donna said hoping to get them talking about the good time with their sibling.
It had worked as one started to remember the good time it started the ball rolling Donna looked toward Fleur and nodded in Arthur's bedroom direction. She couldn't go to him herself as she was the reason the Arthur's sons were talking. Fleur was able to bring Arthur back to the table and the stories continued. Laughing until they cried, crying until they were laughing again as Percy being Percy told them in vivid detail how they annoyed him with certain pranks. Donna's sides hurt from laughing so much and her laugh was infectious so they kept telling her more and more about Fred and George's lives all that day and most of the night until Arthur realized they had celebrated his son's lives to the fullest.
/Scene Break/
In the hospital tent the Scoobies were constantly checking on Buffy's condition since she got there. They just couldn't believe that she was here and a live. Hermione was just leaving the tent the same time Willow was going in
.
"Did you see Buffy, How is she?" Willow asked.
"I came her to check on Madam Hooch but asked about Buffy. She's sleeping at the moment. Katie has been giving her a series of potions and a salve for her blistered skin. She said she was eating well when she was last awake but didn't say much. She's probably not very talkative from the experience." Hermione suggested.
"So who were all those letters for?" Willow wondered.
"Harry actually, they were just form letters addressed to Harry from Professor McGonagall meant mostly to save the Owls."
"Well that was smart." Willow said.
"Did Buffy tell you anything about her experience since she got here about her arrival?" Hermione wondered.
"No, like you said she wasn't very talkative." Willow replied.
"I can imagine. Umm do you have any idea how you did what you did yesterday."
"Willow looked at her in confusion. What did I do?"
"The part where you were flying." Hermione clarified.
"I was flying?" Willow said with a strait face.
Hermione put her hands on her hips and tilted her head to the side and Willow's face broke out in a smile.
"There was only one person I ever knew who could fly without a broom and that was Voldemort. I always wondered where he got that spell." Hermione said.
"It's an old Wicca spell I found it in a diary about an obscure text the owner had read."
"Hmm, Voldemort must have found the original text. Did you find anything out about Buffy's broom?" Hermione asked.
"Only that it was the one I had in my beaded bag, other than that nothing."
"Hmm, well, let me know what you find out. I have to meet Xander and Neville."
"And I'm going to take a peek inside. I just need to see her to make sure I wasn't dreaming, you know." Willow said.
"Yes, I saw the memory. We all had reason to believe she didn't survive. I'll catch up with you later." Hermione said.
"See you." Willow said as Hermione left.
Willow entered the tent to find Buffy awake.
"Hey." Willow whispered.
"Hey." Buffy said.
"I'm really sorry about kissing you." Willow said.
Buffy smiled. "Willow I get it, okay. It's no biggie."
"I'm just so happy you're not… you know… dead."
"Yeah so am I. How have things been going here?"
"Probably as you would expect. There was a lot of mourning and still is but the work on building this place into an actual town has resumed. We started informal town planning meeting over breakfast. We got the start of a police force. Xander has plans for farming and Hermione invented chicken.
"Hmm and here I thought Colonel Sanders already did that.
"Hermione made some magic ones but you can't eat them only their eggs. We got over a dozen chickens already. They will do until we can trade with other villages for real chicken and other farm animals."
"What about all the food we grabbed from those slimy grocers?"
"That's for now. We're looking at things down the road. You know, long term."
"Right, what's next? A real hospital because I got to tell you I like this tent thing you got going on here. I never liked actual hospitals." Buffy said.
"I'll have Katie set up a tent every time you need a Band-Aid." Willow said teasingly.
"Ooo would you?" Buffy said hopefully with a straight face.
Willow smiled so glad to have her best friend back.
/Day Seven, Month One, Year One./
The next day the Scoobies were called to the hill once more as more men on brooms and one big man on a flying carpet approached the settlement. Once they landed and introductions were made the people were brought into town and were directed straight the Arthur Weasley's tent. When Arthur looked out of the tent flap he joyously yelled.
Charlie! Percy, Bill, Donna, Fleur, its Charlie!
Several men stood outside of Arthur's tent as Harry walked down the road in front of it. He recognized Charlie as one of them and figured the other men were the others dragon handlers. He'd let the family rejoice by themselves and not intrude on them. The other men stood to the side for the same reason he'd imagined. There was a rather large and heavy bald man standing there and Harry had the strange feeling of familiarity towards him. Then the man turned and saw him and said.
"Hi ya Harry. It sure has been a while."
Harry was stunned and actually jumped backwards when he recognized the voice.
"Hagrid!?"
"Course it's me who'd ya think?"
"What happened to your hair?"
"Oh right, well it kind of got burnt off. Ya see professor McGonagall made me take a temporary position at the dragon reserve in Romania for a year before resuming my job at Hogwarts. Like I needed to have my arm twisted to take the job." Hagrid said smiling and then the smile completely disappeared. "Then Charlie came running to us telling us that there's a mile high tidal wave heading for us and that we had to evacuate. Then he started opening the cages and unchaining the dragons and we just knew he was serious so we helped him and then we went to the hatchery and collected as many eggs as we could carry. It took us this long to get here because we had to set up a new dragon reserve in Kenya."
"What about the dragons you set free?" Harry asked.
"They know where their eggs are and they will follow them like a beacon. They'll come home to roost soon enough. They're real dossal creature as long as they or their children aren't in danger. That includes their eggs as I'm sure you remember all to well, eh Harry." Hagrid said with a smile remembering the first task of the tri wizard tournament.
"Yeah, I remember." He replied with a smirk. "Sounds like you had a busy week."
Hagrid paused before asking. "Is it really true Harry? Is everything all gone, Hogwarts, everything?" He asked with tears forming in his eyes.
"I'm sorry Hagrid, it's all gone. Africa is the only place left. But it's a big place. There's room for everyone." Harry said.
"You wouldn't believe how many dead we saw coming across Africa Harry. The earth quakes have been killing so many. Some muggle said that they think over a quarter of Africa's population has died. Some wizards have also died caused by them."
Harry was silent. He hadn't thought about what was happening across Africa. He'd been so busy helping everyone here.
"What will you guys be doing now. Will you live at the reserve or are you going to build here?"
"Harry… the wizard town of Chamooco was mostly decimated because of the earth quakes. The people that were left moved away, mostly to be with family. That's where Kenya's Magical government had us set up the new Dragon reserve. It was a small town and there was still several houses left standing that will serve as our lodgings."
"Why Kenya? You could have set up here? We're the only government the DRO Congo has."
"Too many of them muggle terrorists around here Harry. Some o dem as mean as Voldemort." Hagrid explained.
"From what I heard on the muggle radio they're all over Africa Hagrid. But I was told that the Congo is where they all come at some point. Hopefully we'll have wards going up before long."
"Better hurry then. They're supposed to be terribly awful people."
/Day Ten, Month One, Year One/
Robert Flat snake and Sydney Cooke were brought across the ravine to open talks about starting to bridge the gap separating them from each other. As they spoke to Harry and Xander Giles walked over.
"Harry, Xander why wasn't I invited to this meeting." Giles asked as he began to realize that he was being left out of many important meetings recently.
"We're just talking about when we think we can start building the bridge across the ravine." Xander explained.
"With so much to do you want to build bridges. We need hospitals and a fire department and so many other things how can we even consider stopping to build a bridge."
"Because a large part of 'our people' live on the other side of the ravine that don't have any way to get to our hospital and we can't get to them if their house is burning." Xander replied making sure that he emphasized the fact that the Cherokee are now their people.
"Ah, I see your point." Giles said sheepishly.
Just then Jim and Blair sounded the alarm that would bring all the Scoobies to the top of the hill once more.
As Willow got there she said.
"This seems to becoming the new hang out spot."
"What's the what, Jimmy." Buffy asked mostly recovered from her ordeal.
"We seem to have visitors." He said pointing to a large group of about forty black people and one white man leading them.
"Africans natives?" Buffy asked.
"No. Not the way they're dressed those people are from Australia, I'd bet my life on it. Their aborigine and the white man is what they call a Bushmen." Blair told them.
"What are they doing here?" Dawn asked.
"Um, guys I'm getting the feeling that this isn't a coincidence. I mean what are the chances that they would come this way and get this close without Jim seeing them until now." Willow wondered.
"Actually, I noticed them as soon as we got up here." Jim said.
"Well perhaps we should have someone stationed up here all the time." Giles replied.
"Not a bad idea." Jim replied.
"You think the powers that be have something to do with this? Dawn asked Willow.
Just then the Bushman yelled to them.
"Oi, would this be the place the Guardian Council is setting up a community?"
"I'd wager that that is exactly what is happening." Giles said in a normal voice.
Everyone walk towards them to close the large gap quicker. When they got to each other the bushman extended a hand to Xander and introduced himself.
"Mike Dundee everyone calls me Mick like my father. This is an aboriginal tribe whose elder obtained information through a spirit journey that Africa was the only safe place and would be the only place left. The spirits told him to send us here and ask to become part of the community you're building here. We'd help with the building of course.
"Well, if you're going to help us build we'd be happy to have you as our neighbors. I'm Buffy Summers by the way and these are the core members of the Guardian Council." Buffy said.
With that said everyone began introducing themselves.
Bob Flat snake seemed to be really interested in them and felt they would mix well with the Cherokee on his side of the ravine and so stepped up and invited them to live with them. The invitation was accepted immediately and Bob asked if anyone needed medical attention and when they said no he took them to the cafeteria tent for something to eat. They told Bob and the Guardian Council about their long journey but Australians didn't seem to mind the journey saying that they were use to walk long distances every day where they came from. Mick's small family property could have been walked across in three days. Eventually, the Australians were told that the only way across the ravine at the moment was to have a wizard ferry them across by magic.
"I'm sure we can help with that." Mick said. "Do you have the materials to build a bridge?"
"We don't have enough of any one material to build a solid and safe bridge. We're going to have to come up with a design that will incorporate a mixture of materials and then reinforce that with magic." Xander explained.
"Well, if you're dealing with magic why don't we build a simple wooden one made from the surrounding trees until you can get the materials needed to make a solid one?" Mick said.
"What about the animals down below. The river is filled with crocs and the other animals could decide to (I don't know) push the beams out of their way." Willow said not knowing if the animals would do that or not.
"What if we get invaded before we can build anything solid? Then the invaders could burn the bridge. All that work could be for nothing." Buffy added.
"Buffy, Willow, we can't look at it like that we need the bridge to get to our friends." Xander replied.
"Oh my gosh I didn't mean it to sound like that. Sure we need to get to you and you to us; I just thought that it would be better to have a solid bridge than a temporary one." Willow replied hurriedly.
"Yeah what she said." Buffy replied.
"Whether it's wood or steel somebody could destroy it. One will just be harder than the other." Xander said.
""Actually wizards can make even a wooded bridge strong and last a century or two using magic. We can protect it from the elements and make it fire proof and invisible to anyone not in the know." Harry explained.
"Oh, you're talking about a Fidelius Charm. I definitely want to be there to see how that is cast." Willow said excitedly.
"Well, give us a day to rest and we'll start the labor then." Mick said.
"We can send Anthony Goldstein and Ernie Macmillan to help apply the charms. But tell me, you don't seem to be surprised or uncomfortable about magic. Are you a wizard?" Harry wondered.
"Naw, I'm just a simple bushman like my father and a journalist like my mum. But I've seen and experienced magic enough growing up around the aboriginal tribe's elders and shaman to know magic exists, experienced it too on plenty of occasions. My dad had the opportunity to do that growing up too but he was more interested in the tribe's worriers and hunter so he never learned too much about it except how to hypnotize animals, mostly bovine, there the easiest. It made for a nice show to entertain the tourists but it was a bit of a party trick really." Mick said fondly remembering his father.
"What happened to your father?" Xander asked.
"Dad got eaten by a croc. We all knew that he would go out that way."
"What do you mean?" Hermione asked shocked.
"My father was a renowned croc wrestler. He was known as Crocodile Dundee."
"You don't do that do you?" Hermione asked appalled.
"Of course I do or at least I should say I can. It's not something I would want to do for a living but my father did teach me how. I've got a job…had a job…listen; you folks wouldn't know a news paper looking for a journalist would ya?"
"The Quibbler should restart here but that will probably take some time yet." Dawn replied.
"I really don't think that he would understand let alone write the kind of stories Luna writes."
"The Quibbler? That wouldn't be Luna Lovegood would it? I took her on hunt to find some humdingers a couple of years back. She wrote an excellent article from our observations." Mick said.
"Or maybe he'll fit in just fine." Hermione corrected herself.
/Day Nineteen, Month One, Year One/
In Malfoy mansion Lucius Malfoy awoke early because of the daily earthquakes that were more of a shiver than a quake these days. It was still dark outside when he rose and now the sun was fully over the horizon. The elves had made his breakfast and one of then had bought the local magical news paper for him to peruse to see if there was any indication of the earth coming to an end yet. What Lucius didn't realize was that Wizard kind could be very dense and didn't like change. They wouldn't except that their world could simply destroy itself. So the biggest news was that people who had gone on vacation to other countries for the Christmas hollows haven't reported for work and seemed to have decided to stay abroad. Others who recently tried to go abroad via two way portkey came back complaining that they landed in the middle of the ocean and so said the password that would return them soaking wet. The department of portkey travel would be looking into it. Being just as dense as the rest of wizard kind Lucius didn't put two and two together ether. Lucius growled as he balled up the paper and through it into the fire.
/Day Twenty-five, Month One, Year One/
Sam Carter was on the bridge of Ark four finishing her diagnostic on one of the computer uplink modules that communicated with the satellites when she heard Dr. West call to Dr. Helmsley.
"Ah, Adrian, excellent. Well, I'm relived to say that the equalization off the oceanic seabed has not turned out to be as extreme as we expected. The waters are receding much faster than we thought and this is hard to believe but the Himalayas are no longer the roof of the world. It's now the Drakenberg mountains of Kwazulu-Natal." He announced.
"The entire African continent has risen." Adrian said in astonishment.
"Several thousand feet, and it's likely never even flooded." Dr. West replied.
"That's why we call it the Cape of Good Hope." The Captain said walking over to the two men. "We've already set sail for it, and Dr. Helmsley some one wants to speak with you. You can take it right there." He said pointing to a consol.
"Thank you." He replied before raising the microphone to his lips and announcing. "This is Helmsley."
"No, this is Helmsley." The voice on the speaker cracked.
"Dad? Is that you?" Adrian asked astonished for a second time.
"Yeah It's me son." Harry Helmsley replied.
"We should have a visual of the Genesis shortly." The Captain told Adrian.
"Dad…Dad.. We're coming to pick you guys up. How's Tony?"
"Tony's fine, son. He's just fine." His father replied.
"Well, we will see you soon." Adrian said.
"I can't wait Adrian. I can't wait."
Samantha was surprised and pleased at the scene but before she could get away, the captain approached her and said.
You. Carter, you said you were air force and a pilot, get the Chinook Helicopter ready for a rescue mission. You'll be fairing the survivors from the Genesis to the arks.
Vala had been on the bridge as well doing custodial work. Her ears perked up when the captain barked an order at Sam but thought nothing of it. As she kept emptying waste baskets then she heard that slimy man Carl Anheuser
begin to speak to Dr. Helmsley. In her opinion the man had no moral fiber, and an appalling demeanor with no regard to anyone but himself. She had heard that when the voyage first started there had been an altercation between Carl Anheuser and Dr. Helmsley which ended in Anheuser making an extremely inappropriate comment regarding Dr. Helmsley and the ex presidents daughter. It ended with one punch from Dr. Helmsley. Right now Vala would be ready to step in should the big man decide to take his revenge on Adrian.
"Your dad's okay Hemsley?" Carl Anheuser asked.
"Yes sir."
"That's great I'm glad. Listen for what its worth I want to apologize for the things I said to the both of you. I think you made the right call." Carl admitted.
"Thank you. As you said sir, there's no handbook for this."
"Guess not." Carl said hearing his own words from what seemed a life time ago.
Vala was disgusted. For the past couple of weeks she had heard the man bad mouth Adrian behind his back. This was nothing but an attempt to make himself look good. She bet herself that the man would try to run for leader at some point once the ships docked and they were on land once more. Adrian accepting his apology would help him get the other mans endorsement.
/Scene Break/
A couple of hours later Sam Carter found herself not piloting a Chinook Helicopter but playing the part of rescuer tethered to it as she guided several people onboard.
"Please don't separate me from my brother okay?" A woman dressed in Goth style cloths pleaded.
"There's plenty of room for you both miss." Carter said.
"Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you." She said.
"No problem, miss. Please move along."
As Abby Sciuto and her brother got on, her face morphed into one of great relief.
The crew of the Genesis had the foresight to bring everyone's suitcases living or dead topside. Once they heard that there were no other land masses they had realized that there wouldn't be too many of the luxuries the passengers were used to so they knew anything they could salvage would be appreciated and the leaders of the arks agreed and took everything that wasn't bolted down even the nearly depleted food stores. It was hours before Sam's day ended.
/Scene Break/
Dawn waked into the Hospital tent and finally found the person she was looking for.
"Hermione, we just got word. It was on the news relay. Someone at the Cape of Good Hope received a weak signal from the arks. They are going to make port in a few days. Isn't that great?"
"Yes, that's wonderful news. Now my uncle and I will be able to find his friend Sherlock."
"How is your professor by the way?" Dawn asked.
"Madam Hooch seems to be fighting her way to consciousness. Katie summoned me here because she kept calling my name."
"Hermione… need to speak… need to tell." Madam Hooch mumbled.
"Rolanda. It's me Hermione, what is it you want to tell me?" Hermione asked the delirious woman
"Must tell you… must tell you."
"Yes Rolanda, tell me. Tell me now." Hermione commanded.
"Need to tell you. Must."
"What must you tell me Madam Hooch?"
"Must…must… the ritual. You must."
"What ritual?" Dawn asked.
"I'm not sure but she might mean the Hogwarts ritual. I almost forgot about it but I still have days to perform it. For some reason she seems adamant that I do it as soon as possible."
"What is it? What does it do?" Dawn asked.
"Actually, it's something we will need to have a meeting about. Can you gather everyone?" Hermione asked.
"It's almost dinner time so we can get the elves to tell the Guardian Council to have dinner in the bank instead of the cafeteria tent with everyone else." Dawn suggested.
"That's perfect and I'm not sure but we might need the city planners heads as well." Hermione said.
"Well, I'll set the elves to it then." Dawn replied.
/Scene Break/
Forty minuets later everyone that was needed for the meeting was now eating dinner. So what's going on Hermione? Harry asked as he put a sausage on his plate.
"Madam Hooch was semi conscious today and she started mumbling my name and about the ritual of Hogwarts."
"Okay what's the ritual of Hogwarts?" Buffy asked before spooning creamed corn into her mouth.
"I was given the amulet of Hogwarts before I left it for the last time. It is an amulet that in the event that Hogwarts was totally destroyed, it would hold its magic for a short time. Thirty days to be exact. Within that time I have to find a semi durable permanent stone structure that I can transfer that magic into or the magic will be lost forever. The structure could even be a stone garden shed if we had one but the only places we have right now are the bank or the train station. It would only be temporary. I was assured I could take the magic back into the amulet to transfer it to a structure we can all agree upon later. I was hoping to get everyone permission to use one or the other."
"So what? The building we choose to use will turn into a castle?" Willow asked.
"If that's what I envision when I start the ritual then yes it could or I could have it remain the same as it is now with only minor modifications."
"Such as?" Buffy asked.
"I could have the ceiling enchanted to look like the sky outside and, or have attached towers appear maybe a greenhouse on the roof"
What about the wards? Harry asked.
Yes, Harry, that's a great idea. We could put Hogwarts wards around the bank or station and surrounding area. Not the whole area the property takes up several miles, but we could do a hundred acres maybe.
"No, that's not what I meant, Hermione. The wards around Hogwarts were designed to keep the mundane away. Almost half of the people here are mundane." Harry explained.
"Oh right. I should be able to control which wards go up."
"What about that Fidelius ward?" Willow asked.
"The Fidelius is actually a charm and Hogwarts never had it so if we wanted it we would have to add it afterwards. But we should look into casting it over the whole town so there will be no need to charm the bank. So do you think I can use one of the buildings for this?" Hermione asked.
"Well, I think we should keep the place the same so that when you take back the magic it won't be something we would miss and have to get used to all over again." Xander said.
"Oh, but I'd like the sky thing." Willow said disappointed.
"Well we can have Hermione put that up and you can study the magic so that when she takes it back in the future you can recreate it afterward."
"Never let it be said the Willow Rosenberg doesn't like a challenge." Willow said with a smile.
"I just thought of something else. What about the electronics. Hogwarts has so much magic it could burn out your electronics." Arthur Weasley warned.
"Actually, every peace of Guardian Council equipment has been protected from magic but I'll have to do something about the personal electronics of the other people and the electronics from our department store raids."
"Yes, that's a topic I still wish to discuss with you at a later date." Giles said.
"I'll save you the trouble Giles. We did what we had to do. Any further discussion will only get you in trouble for not helping Xander in the first place." Buffy said.
Giles remained silent because of the glares he was receiving.
They decided it would be okay to use the bank for this and that Hermione could start as early as tomorrow. The rest of the meeting was about what temporary changes could be made that would benefit everyone.
/Day Twenty-six, Month One, Year One/
Hermione got Harry, Susan Bones, Padma Patil and Draco Black to take part in the ritual. Everyone else stood around to watch.
"What is the purpose of us being here, Hermione?" Draco asked.
This threw Hermione for a moment as she wasn't used to Draco calling her by her first name. Harry spotted her mental brakes being slammed upon and smirked at her unfamiliarity with Draco's familiarity as he had experienced it for himself many times now.
"Um, well, you see, the four of you represent the quintessential four founders of Hogwarts. Gryffindor the brave." She said pointing at Harry. "Hufflepuff the loyal." She said pointing at Susan. "Ravenclaw the wise." She said pointing to Padma "And Slytherin the cunning." She said pointing at Draco.
"So, you finally admit I'm cunning ah Hermione?" Draco asked.
"Only 'after' Hogwarts Draco." She replied with a smirk.
Draco looked thoughtful for a second and replied. "I can agree with that", which surprised the rest of the Hogwarts alumni.
"Umm, Willow if you would hold up the amulet please." Willow held it by its chain and Hermione touched the back of the amulet with her wand before wiping it toward the old concrete column. The column then had an imprint of the amulet within it as if it had been pressed into it before the cement dried. She then took the amulet and placed it in the indentation where it fit firmly enough to hold it there. The group of Hogwarts alumni then put their hands on the four sides of the column and Hermione began to chant the ritual.
The column began to glow and as promised the enchanted ceiling appeared telling everyone it worked. Hermione was guided into a chair as well as the other four former Hogwarts students.
"Something just occurred to me. This ceiling could get depressing during an extended rain." Buffy said.
"The headmaster or mistress usually… I guess you could say 'replay' the sky of a prior day that was partly or mostly cloudy. It was rather pretty when it snowed though."
"Yeah, I think we can all agree with that. It's a shame we won't experience snow here in Africa though." Draco said.
"Hey, where'd that door come from? We didn't install one there." Xander said pointing to an old wooded door that looked nothing like any of the doors they installed or that were here before they started.
"That looks like the door to the room of requirement, Hermione." Padma announced.
"Your right." Hermione and Harry said in unison.
"Wow, do you mean that room that can become any room we think about? That was so neat." Willow said.
Just then the door slowly pushed open. And to everyone's surprise someone's head peaked out from inside.
Hermione and the others recognized the witch as being Professor Septima Vector.
"Hermione?" She said spotting her. "It's about time. What took you so long? We've been in here for what feels like weeks."
"We?" Harry asked stunned.
"Yes, the students and I." Septima replied.
"Students?" Hermione wondered.
"Didn't anyone tell you?" Septima asked.
"Madam Hooch has been trying to tell me something but she kept falling back into a coma." Hermione replied.
"Coma? What happened?" Septima asked.
"She didn't get out of Hogwarts in time. How did you survive?" Harry asked.
"The professors and the headmistress came up with the idea the day before the wave came. There was no guarantee it would work but we stocked the room of requirement with most of our food stores and told the students that stayed for the holiday that we were having a holiday party. They're mostly the orphans but there are some who lost family as well. We also brought the full compliment of Hogwarts house elves."
"The elves? Oh my gosh we thought we lost the elves." Hermione announced.
"Originally they would have portkeyed here but once we came up with the plan they stayed with the children and helped to make them comfortable. The room of requirement was very accommodating as well. It would turn into a dinning room at meal times, a classroom which I and the six and seventh years taught the others, and a dorm at bed time. If it weren't for structure and comfort that the room and the elves provided we wouldn't have lasted this long."
"I'm sure you had a major part in it as well." Hermione said.
"Yes well, Septima began embarrassed. I must admit that I was at my wits end the past few days. Not only was it getting harder to comfort and control the children, I was beginning to lose heart that we would survive much longer. Thank goodness you did the ritual in time."
"I didn't know you were there. I was under the impression that I had thirty days. It's been twenty-six."
"Twenty-six… it felt longer." Septima announced.
Just then a voice came from inside the new room. "Professor Vector? Is it safe? Can we come out now?"
"Yes Greg, everything is alright. You can all come out now."
"How many kids are there?" Buffy asked.
"Forty-seven." Professor Vector replied.
"Forty-seven? Back when I was at school there were between one to four per house staying at Hogwarts during the hollows." Harry said.
"Well there was a baby boom after the war. These children are only some of them plus orphans."
"That's another reason for the war to haunt me." Harry replied causing Neville to place a hand on his shoulder.
The kids came out and looked small as they looked around there surroundings in uncertainty.
"Time to render aid once more I should think." Giles said.
"Right, Hermione we said that there shouldn't be any structural redesign of the bank besides the greenhouse on the roof but with the addition of the kids perhaps we should consider those towers and dorm. By the time you're ready to find some other place to build Hogwarts we should have houses built outside for many families and slayers to move into. That way over crowding won't be a problem." Xander said.
"What about those houses we already have?" Dawn asked.
"Harry and I thought that they would go to the people we had told with families if that's agreeable to everyone else: Melinda Gordon, Jim and their son Cassandra, Jake Russell and their kids, and possibly Tru and her brother and, then there are the Duke family."
"I don't know if Tru and her brother are good candidates. They seem to have some issues. Those houses are two big for just two people should one of them move out one person would be out of the question don't you think?" Dawn announced.
"I would suggest Arthur but his family seems to want to live on their own.
Maybe we should draw lots for one of the families from New York. It would probably be a pleasant change from living in the tunnel. Heck the tents they've been living in has probably been a pleasant change." Draco said.
The group from the G.C. were thoughtful but the wizards and witches were in shock that Draco Malfoy, now Black had come up with an idea that didn't benefit him, but helped the mundane.
Hermione broke the silences. "Yes well, I'd better get started and create those towers."
"I think it's about time we start inviting the rest of the people into the bank and fill up these apartments so we can start living in it." Xander said.
"Yes, it would seem the earthquakes are at a minimum and we can't keep living in fear of them for the rest of our lives." Giles said.
"Is the library finished?" Willow asked
"Just a few more shelves and some clean up and you can move all your books in. That can be done in little more than a day. Xander said.
Actually the Hogwarts elves can help you with that and be done in less than an hour. Harry said.
"Hurray, we can start studying again." Willow said and then added humbly. "In our off hours when nobody needs us of course."
Everyone laughed at Willows exuberance over books.
/Scene Break/
"General O'Neill, President Hayes, sirs." the technician called from across the flight bay as Jack entered. the Puddle jumper is suppose to have protections that would allow it to fly close to radioactive sources across the spectrum including electromagnetism like suns quasars and general space anomalies. Upon this mornings readings the electromagnetic fields have diminished in intensity to about half of what we measured from the beginning of its appearance. The modifications we did still wouldn't hold up to the other intense spectrums I mentioned but at this moment it is more than enough to reliably fly through earths atmosphere and its readjusting electromagnetic field.
"Well it looks like there will be no more stalling Jack." Henry told him.
Jack looked less than enthused.
"Jack you need to let go. You still have family. Go talk to him."
"Family…When we beamed up Sam's brother Mark and his family she was so happy. I told her that I would be happy to stand by her when she explained everything to them. She gave them the briefest of explanations when she was pulled away and given the assignment that took her life. No one has told them why they were saved."
"I think they figured that out by now don't you?"
"Yes, but they don't even understand why it happened or anything about what Sam did and why the government has spaceships civilians know nothing about sir. I didn't event tell them that Sam is dead yet."
"It was never your job Jack. It was mine. And I sat down with them and told them everything including how she died. I also knew you didn't inform Dr. Jackson, Teal'c or Colonel Mitchell about Colonel Carter's and Vala mal Doran's death. I took the liberty to do that too."
"I couldn't… I just couldn't. I mean I've done it before for other men under my command but when it came to Sam …."
"I had the same hard time telling the rest of my family the day my mother and again when my wife died. I do understand what you mean Jack but you need to reconnect with the family you have."
"Sir, did you ever tell my clone John?"
"Yes, and he's nearly as upset as you are but he's been separated from everyone at the SGC for so long that I think he might be handling it a bit better than you are.
Don't count on it.
"He actually had a few girlfriends since he has been on his own Jack, usually older women. The longest relationship lasted almost a year. One even had the security clearance to know about him. She was the one that lasted the least."
It had been a surprise to O'Neill but he really couldn't find it in himself to care.
"One more thing sir, did you happen to tell Cassandra Fraiser?" he asked without emotion.
Henry Hayes looked at him in shock.
"No. No, she was an oversight on my part. I'll let her know personally."
"No sir. I've neglected my duty far too long. I need to do this."
"Perhaps your right. Come hell or high water I'll make sure she's standing on this deck upon your return so you can tell her about Major Carter. It will be done after your return from seeing your nephew. Now gear up and get out of here. You've got ten minutes to get ready."
Fifteen minutes later Jack O'Neill Jumped into the puddle jumper and took his seat in the pilots chair. His heart wasn't in this mission. He would rather not have gotten out of bed today or the day before or the day before that. But the President would make sure he got up and went to work like his mother made him go to school when he was younger. If Jack wasn't so depressed he would be embarrassed. He started the craft and piloted it out of the Hammond on his journey to reconnect with his family.
A.N. The part about and his father on board the Genesis as well as Carl Anheuser apologies can be found on the 2012 movie DVD extras, deleted scenes and alternate endings.
A.N. it seems no one could answer the question in Chapter 51 before the time of this post.
The question was 'Who can tell me what Mrs. Grangers full maiden name was before she married according to this story.' Her married name is Mrs. Emma Granger. Her brother's name is John Watson. That means her maiden name was 'Miss Emma Watson.'
A.N. Only one more chapter to go.
A.N. (Reviews can make the author smile.)