Chapter Thirty-Four: Exodus


Wednesday, 17th May 2000.

Carson checked the results on the screen carefully, noting that the second pattern was still minimal before he turned to face the wee girl, now sitting up in her bed. The restraints had been considered unnecessary in conjunction with the guards. "So, how are we feeling today?"

Luna smiled at him before she spoke. "Good. She's finally given up trying the attacks, so there is no need for more paracetamol."

"Well, that's good to hear. Any progress on whether we want to remove it or not?" He asked, checking her other vital signs.

"Yes. No." Luna said entirely unhelpfully.

Carson smiled as he had come to expect such behaviour from the smallest human member of the team. "I may need some clarification on that one."

"Yes, I've made progress. The answer is no. Isis is staying."

"Really. Care to share why?" He asked, genuinely interested in the matter, having only just learned of the existence of such creatures.

"It's been two weeks and she hasn't managed to exert a single iota of control over me. I think I've got her safely contained. She hates it, and she really wants to hurt me, but she is intelligent enough to understand she can't. So, now we're negotiating."

"Negotiating?" Aurora asked from the corner, keeping quiet watch just as Dobby was from the other side of the room.

"Obviously, I can't give her what she truly wants, control of my mind and body. But I'm sure there are other things we have to offer. And I am certain there are things we can learn from her. Not about the state of the goa'uld now, obviously. She's been imprisoned on Earth since before humanity rebelled against Ra. But she and Osiris were almost benevolent for goa'uld."

"In what way?" Carson asked, taking a seat nearby now his checks were done.

"Osiris was the first pharaoh of Egypt. With Isis at his side, they taught humanity a lot. Religion, obviously with themselves at the core of it all. Agronomy, allowed humans to better feed themselves, making them more useful slaves and worshippers. Architecture, so that they could build the pyramidal landing platforms their, at the time, newer forms of craft used, as well as building monuments to their 'gods'. These and many other things, all trace back to the two of them. Admittedly, a lot of it was to make us easier to rule or more useful slaves. But we reap the benefits to this day while it eventually got the two of them extracted and stuffed in those jars, thanks to Setesh."

"You think that you might be able to call on her 'good' side? Get her to work with us?" Aurora asked, leaning forward curiously.

"I do," Luna replied succinctly.

"I have to admit, that would be an interesting enough reason to persist with such an effort."

"Aye." Carson agreed. "You're certain though. From what I understand, Padma's experience with Anubis was quite traumatic."

"There are risks, but I think the possible rewards are worth it. I will put it to a council vote. I'm not selfish enough to put us all at risk without seeking the advice and opinions of the others."

"And if they vote no?" Aurora asked.

"We extract her. I'm reasonably sure she's contained enough that any damage such a process would inflict on me would be minimal." Luna said, again with an entirely straight face as though she hadn't just potentially considered giving herself possible brain damage. "It's our only real choice given that the Tollan have absolutely refused to aid us technologically in any way. Sounds like that Omoc is a bit of a gruff jerk from what Parvati told me of their discussions."

"Alrighty then. If you're sure." Carson paused and Luna nodded with a bright smile. "I shall inform the council." He said with a cheeky tone that made Luna's smile even wider.

As much as he understood its reason for being, he couldn't help but take the mickey out of the concept from time to time. He knew that the others felt much the same way. But if the society they hoped to build on Verda grew as they were planning, such a system would be vital.

"I believe it is Richard's turn today." He said as he stood, indicating that the male Granger would be along shortly with her lunch. And with a nod each to the three occupants, Carson turned and headed out of the wing.

ϟ

Thursday, 18th May 2000.

Padma sat quite stiffly in her chair, her sister at her side occasionally slipping worried glances in her direction. Normally after having a chat with Harry, she felt better. But today's chat had ended with a statement that had seriously bothered her, and now they were all sitting together, preparing to make the dumbest decision she'd ever heard of.

"So," Luna said, pausing to glance at each of the attending council members. "That's the proposal. Thoughts."

"You're insane," Padma said firmly.

"Padma, calm down," Natalie said.

"No! None of you understands what is going on here. This Isis is clearly affecting her mind. We need to remove it now."

She felt a wave of dense anger within her at the symbiote. She wanted to stand up and tear it from Luna's body, crushing it under her heel and be done with it. She barely even noticed Parvati holding her arm and pushing her back into her seat.

"You're right, Padma. We can't be utterly sure that Luna is entirely herself." Richard said, carefully choosing his words. "Which is why I would amend the proposal. Hermione has been working with Idun remotely, and together they have made this."

He lifted a tiara-like item made of an evidently flexible metal material up onto the desk and pushed it towards Luna. "Please put it on, Luna," Hermione said with a soft smile.

Luna did so without question, placing it on her forehead. The moment it touched her skin, a clear gem on the front turned blue.

"It uses the brain wave patterns to identify who is in control of the body," Hermione explained. "If Isis should take control, the gem will turn red and deliver a stunning effect. It can be disabled for a maximum of two minutes at a time by another member of the council, if we deem it necessary."

"Why would you ever…" Padma began, but Parvati tightened her grip on her arm. "What?"

"Calm down, please," Parvati said softly, looking into her eyes and Padma felt some of the anger lessening. Enough to realize that some of what she was feeling was the residue, and not herself. Apparently, Isis had somehow wronged Anubis, and some of that residual anger was still within her.

"Fine," Padma grumbled, leaning back in her chair.

"Other thoughts?" Harry asked, trying to focus the others on the topic at hand, though his eyes did occasionally flick back to Padma.

"I suggest a lockout on all major systems," Richard said, continuing as if nothing had stopped him before. "And no weapons. Magical or otherwise until we're certain."

Luna nodded quietly to every condition, gently petting Nyx as he lay on top of the council table. Padma knew it was the first time Luna had seen her pet since the symbiote invaded her body. It had not reacted poorly to Luna in any way and part of Padma thought that should help convince her that the girl was in control, but her undying hatred of the goa'uld burned any rational thought away.

"Alright. Regarding the matter of Isis, we shall take a vote. Luna, I have to ask you to recuse yourself from this one. Summarising, Isis shall be allowed to remain in Luna, learning what Luna deems acceptable in an attempt to rehabilitate the symbiote. During the..." He paused, clearly looking for the right word. "...'experiment', Luna will not be armed in any way, she shall operate on restricted access to the database and computer systems, and cannot operate any of our ships. To ensure it's as hard as possible for Isis to cause any damage if she should manage to take control. Does everyone agree on the terms of the experiment?"

Padma matched Harry as he watched each face, in turn, nod their agreement to the conditions of the experiment.

"Good. Any further thoughts?" No one spoke, but Padma noticed Dobby was watching Luna closely. "Ok then. To vote. Those in favour?"

Harry, Hermione, Natalie, Richard, Neville and to her surprise, Dobby all raised their hands in the affirmative.

"Against," Harry asked redundantly.

Padma raised her hand as the only voice against.

"The proposal is approved. Merlin, please alter the command codes to lock the necessary systems immediately." Harry turned to Luna. "You are restricted from going near weapons, power generation and delivery, and some of the labs. Otherwise, you are free to move about, though porta and beam travel are restricted without accompaniment. We wouldn't want Isis stealing you away across the stars." He finished with a soft smile.

Padma felt the anger growing again at her concerns being ignored and she stood, glaring in Luna's direction before she stormed out of the room. She was certain this would come back and bite them all, but evidently, her concerns were not shared by the others.

"Pad, stop," Parvati yelled from behind her, but Padma ignored her, making for her room and sealing the door. She lay down on her bed and intentionally ignored the repeated buzzing coming from her intercom. She did not want company right now, she had plans to make.

ϟ

Saturday, 20th May 2000.

Luna watched quietly as Neville carefully guided the small navi through the porta. His flying was far more careful and precise than Harry's but it got you to the destination all the same. Yet her attention was quickly drawn away from the details of Neville's piloting skills to the sight laid out before her instead.

Through the window, she could see Aedis, and it was beyond her wildest dreams. Harry and Hermione had found the perfect spot as the distant mountains seemed to almost caress the city in front of her as it grew out of the fully completed mountainside. Spires in pale whites, blues, yellows and greens now stretched skyward from the plateau that was now covered in young trees.

She turned to look at Neville only to notice him watching her in return. "Did you plant all of those?"

He nodded. "Yep. Aurora has been helping me in her free time as well. What do you think?"

"I think it looks incredible. And it's almost finished too. I'd estimate another week, maybe two."

"That's what we thought. You and Parvati outdid yourselves. It's amazing." He said, bringing them slowly around the structure so that Luna could see the buildings from various angles.

"I hadn't even considered greenery on the mountain itself. It looks so much better than I had hoped it would."

"What does Isis think?" Neville asked curiously, glancing at her out of the corner of his eye.

"She's impressed. Until now, I think she honestly thought we were just powerless humans. Pretty sure that she is actually stunned."

Luna closed her eyes and allowed her senses to drift inwards. She found Isis still in the room, though Luna had furnished it for them. Instead of the broken window looking out onto the sandstorm protecting her mind that Isis had foolishly tested another four times, each ending painfully for the presence, there was now one wide window looking out onto whatever Luna happened to allow her to see.

Right now, it was showing Aedis in all its splendour, and Isis was indeed frozen before the window with her mouth agape.

"Believe me now?" Luna asked as she stepped up beside the figure.

She knew that she had opened her eyes again and that what they were seeing was real-time. It had taken a few days of careful meditation to figure out how to be both in and out of herself at the same time, but it allowed her to communicate with Isis without having to be asleep.

"There is no way. Humanity cannot have come this far." Isis said in disbelief. "When I was imprisoned, you were barely able to build mud huts without our benevolent guidance." The symbiote hissed, sounding a lot like one of the pureblooded bigots back home in England.

"I think you'll find humanity are quite the overachievers when we aren't being subjugated," Luna replied.

"Still, you are indeed mad if you think this will keep you safe from the System Lords. Ra will not abide such a thing."

"Oh, had I not told you yet?" Luna said softly, taking a seat. "Ra is dead."

Isis finally spun away from the view and glared at her. "You lie." She inspected Luna's face carefully before her own dropped in shock again. "Who? How?"

"Earth. Humans killed him only a few years ago. Just like we rebelled and threw him off of our planet five thousand years ago."

"Then your time is indeed limited. If what you say is true, the other System Lords will come to Earth and wipe you from existence in retribution. Then they shall divide Ra's domain and things will continue as they always have." Isis finished with a knowing smile, that seemed to falter when Luna's own did not.

"Apophis already tried. Humanity beat him back too, though we didn't kill him. Well, not that time." Luna said.

"That time?" Isis said, now looking like she was handling this news very poorly.

"Oh yes, they've killed him since, though he has been revived more than once. Not a possibility of that for Ra. He was totally vapourised. Who else, there is Setesh, killed on Earth as well. Hathor died after kidnapping some humans and trying to forcibly blend them too." While Luna knew that if Isis ever truly gained access to her memories, she could learn the truth, it was fun giving her the impression that Luna's ability to keep her contained was a universal trait of all modern humans.

"Setesh is dead?" Isis said, a vindictive pleasure clear in her voice.

"Oh yes. Crushed in half by a kara kesh. A nasty way to go. Sokar is dead too. Blown up along with his beloved Natu. Amunet is dead, though thankfully, her Abydonian host was revived when they went to intern her at Kheb. She's still coming to terms with it all. Harcesis child and all of that." Luna finished with a wide smile at the naked shock on the figure's face.

"Luna?" Neville said, drawing her from her mind as she noticed they were on the ground. "Shall we?"

Luna quickly made sure that Isis was cut off from her senses for the moment, leaving her to stew in what she had just told her. "Yes, just popped in to have a word with Isis. Let's go." She smiled, taking the offered hand which pulled her to her feet.

She was surprised to see Richard standing at the ramp, watching them both, having forgotten he was with them after seeing the incredible sight of the city mostly finished. She gave him a wide smile and followed Neville from the ship.

Neville had landed inside a large glass-roofed courtyard through which one could see all the towering pillars of the city rising above you. To the west, you could see the mountain range, though the moons were not presently visible in that direction as they had been at Easter. There was a thin tunnel at the far edge of the courtyard in that direction which she knew led into the body of the mountain, the main access way into the hangar for the navis for once the porta was moved inside of the city.

She turned on the spot and admired the way the afternoon sun made the towers shimmer and sparkle. The large windows gleamed under the light and she could see the various reflections of the space around them as she twirled.

"I dreamed of such incredible sights as a child, but I never once truly dared hope that I might see them." She said, falling backwards onto the soft thick grass that Neville had cultivated across the courtyard.

"Really?" Neville asked, peering down at her. "We came all this way so you could see how things are going and you're just going to lie on the grass?"

"For a minute or two. I haven't had a real chance to get a feel for this place yet." She replied, closing her eyes and letting her senses go wild.

She could hear the tiny sound of as yet unknown bird life off in the distant trees. A cool breeze blew in through the presently open space to the east through which Neville had brought them inside. And the radiant power of their new star bearing down from above, the glass covering keeping its more dangerous radiation from causing any harm. Though it would take far longer exposure here on Verda to suffer burns than on Earth, due to the composition of the atmosphere and magnetosphere.

But beyond all of that, she could feel a soft pulsing deep underground. Something that had taken her almost ten years to finally identify back home. It was the magic of this world caressing her own and feeling out its newest inhabitants. The overall field here seemed slightly weaker than what she was used to expecting back home on Earth, but it was definitely still there. And she could feel even more power hiding below, outside the range of her senses.

"I thought you three were here to look around?" Harry's voice came and Luna opened her eyes to see another two people currently standing over her.

She smiled at Hermione before poking her tongue out at Harry.

"He's got a point, Luna. You said you need to check on something." Neville reminded her and she felt the tenuous touches of the magical field receding for now.

She sighed and rolled onto her stomach, pushing up into what Parvati told her was called bhujangasana. Luna moaned happily as she felt the muscles in her back and stomach stretch and it felt wonderful after the few weeks cooped up in bed. She made a note to ask Parvati about doing a regular yoga session here in the courtyard once they moved in properly.

"Fine." She said, at last, pushing up onto her feet and turning to face the others. "Probably a good thing you're all here, as I can't actually play with the systems in question. So, who wants to lead the way to the main control centre?"

Harry rolled his eyes at her as he knew she didn't actually mind the restrictions at all and was just being difficult for the fun of it. She smiled at him and walked forwards, taking Hermione's arm in her own and pulling her away from her boyfriend.

"Thank you, Hermione. So kind of Harry to volunteer you."

"Hey, that's my girlfriend, and we're on a date," Harry grumbled.

"Not anymore." Luna chimed and Hermione laughed with her as the two headed towards the nearby opening into the central tower. It still had the most construction to go, but the primary control centre was built into the fourth floor.

"I like all the work Neville has put in," Luna said to Hermione as they walked.

"I agree. He has outdone himself. It's just stunning. I loved Aether, but I have to say I already love Aedis even more."

"Me too. I can't wait to move in. How is the import going?"

Hermione glanced at her, and Luna noted her eyes drifting to her forehead where the bright blue gem was visible. "It's going well. Merlin has been dialling in about three times a day for the full window and sending as much through as he can. It won't even be a tenth of the way done before we move in of course. Even the small database we have at Aether is huge."

"I'm glad you convinced me to incorporate that much triple-redundant storage into the mountain phase."

"Same. Imagine if he'd had to wait until all the buildings were complete just to begin the transfer." Hermione said, as though being without her needed information consumption, she might go mad.

The two women paused for a moment as they used the transport cabinet to head up to the control centre. A crack in the air sounded as Harry apparated into the room as well and gave Luna a heatless glare before he walked over to the nearby window and stared out.

"Alright, can you please check the structural logs and the progress on the northern towers? They were slightly lower than expected when I last checked. I instructed the system to work on reinforcing them." Luna asked as she and Hermione reached the computers.

Hermione smiled at her before she began bringing up the data Luna had asked for, the information slipping past on the holographic screen in front of them.

"She can't see any of this right now? Yes?" Hermione asked.

"No, she's getting reruns of the movie Aliens right now."

Harry gave a hearty laugh from the window as the two other men arrived in the transport cabinet behind them.

"What's so funny?" Richard asked.

"Luna is messing with Isis, showing her movies as though they are real. Correct?" Harry asked, turning in place and looking at the women at the controls.

Luna gave a slightly shifty look for a moment. "Little bit." She admitted with a smirk.

She went quiet for a few minutes as she focused on the data stream Hermione was providing. The build was actually a day ahead of schedule, even with the modifications they had added on during construction.

"Honestly, when I went to speak with her before, I think I detected the first sign of a crack in her defences. News of Setesh's death really seemed to bring her joy."

"Doesn't seem that unusual for a goa'uld to gloat over the defeat of another," Neville said, joining Harry by the window.

"True, but I bet it has more to do with her betrayal. I'm thinking of exploring that further. Maybe try to get her to open up on a 'happier' topic." Luna said, nodding as Hermione shut off the hologram. "See if I can't weasel my way into her mind for a bit. So far I've only been able to get her to verbally confirm the information in the Asgard histories."

"Just be careful, Luna," Hermione said. "This experiment might be interesting, but we need you. Whole and well. Don't do anything dangerous."

"I won't. Now, can I see the pens?" Luna said with a delighted glimmer in her eye.

Hermione sighed softly, though the action was ruined by the big smile on her face. Luna was eager to begin exploring Verda's fauna at long last. She had even altered her record in the system to note her profession as an exobiologist when they had begun building Aedis. In anticipation of the role she wished to take up in their budding society.

"Sure can. I think you will like them." Hermione said, linking their arms once more and turning back towards the cabinet. "You did design them, after all."

Luna smiled happily. In spite of Isis causing a minor setback in her plans, she was very eager to get to work. And if the chirping she'd heard before was any indication, there was an abundance of new life here just waiting to be discovered.

ϟ

Friday, 2nd June 2000.

Harry clipped his trunk closed and looked about the room for a few moments. He was a little sad that this had only been his room for six months. Luna had done a superb job building it, and he knew he could come back at any time, but today felt like a shift in the rest of his life. For several reasons, he thought as he brushed his nice shirt down nervously and waved his wand at his trunk, levitating it off the bed and causing it to follow him.

As he stepped out into the hall, he ran into Neville, who had also chosen to use his old Hogwarts trunk for the move now that Hermione had expanded them all properly.

"Harry. You look nervous, mate." Neville said with his own slightly nervous smile.

"Well, it's a big day," Harry replied, giving Neville a pat on the back as the pair turned and walked down the short corridor into the Atrium. Their trunks occasionally bumping as they jostled for position while hovering along behind them.

Harry thought he would miss this room the most. While there was a replica of it at Aedis, it wasn't quite the same. They had spread out more with Aedis, building several tall towers up into the sky around a central tower and courtyard. With Aether, you could see from front to back, out both external windows while standing here in the Atrium.

"Don't worry, I have to come back regularly to make sure all these plants stay healthy," Neville said, noticing Harry's gaze drifting over the room.

"You're right. It's not like with Fundamenta. I'll be back here fairly regularly." Harry said, turning to face the conscensa and noticing the gathered crowd standing there before the already active wormhole. Harry's family.

"Shall we?" Neville asked with a smirk

"Oh, do let's," Harry replied, setting them both chuckling.

The two boys walked over to the others, noticing some had a lot more luggage than others. Parvati in particular seemed to be bringing a lot with her, especially considering the amount of space Harry now had in his trunk.

"At last," Hermione said, cheekily staring at Harry as he approached.

"Sorry, I got a bit sentimental." He apologised, walking over to her and pressing a soft kiss to her cheek.

"Me too." She whispered in reply.

Merlin shimmered into place before them, looking even more mysterious than normal thanks to the undulating background of the event horizon.

"Greetings." The image said, in reference to the initial message that it had spoken to Harry, Luna and Hermione only a little over a year beforehand. That thought alone gave Harry a moment of pause. "It is a pleasure to see you all, and while this is not goodbye, I shall miss you all."

"We're going to miss you too, Merlin," Luna said.

"You have all accomplished wondrous things in the time that I have known you. And I expect shall achieve far greater heights from Aedis than even I can calculate. I will always be here if you need to speak with me. But I wish you all the best of luck in your exodus."

Harry felt a swell of pride tinged with loss at the fact that they couldn't yet bring Merlin with them off-world. It would be the first time since the beginning of all of this that their fate was entirely in their own hands, with no one to guide them or take some of the load.

A few of the others turned to face him and Harry groaned as he realized what they were expecting. He was the High Councilor and this was a momentous occasion.

"Fine, fine." He said.

"How very Harry." Hermione joked and Harry couldn't help but laugh at the reference to his former coping word.

"True." He replied before he took a moment and stepped up next to Merlin. His eyes drifted over his friends and family before inspiration took hold. "I am incredibly proud, of each and every one of you. Each of you has personally overcome great struggles to be where we are today, both before and during our time together. At Hogwarts, from Fundamenta and even within these magnificent halls. We will face even greater struggles in the future, I am certain of it, but I look forward to that time safe in the knowledge I will face it all with you by my side."

A tear began to form in his eye and Harry quietly centred himself for a moment. "I don't think I would change any of you. You are my friends, my family. My people." He said with a light chuckle at the idea that those before him could one day be considered the ancestors of an entire civilization of people. "That's all I've got, sorry."

The others laughed joyfully at his final comment and Hermione took his hand, squeezing it tightly. He turned to face Merlin and nodded at the hologram. "Thank you, Merlin. For everything. I don't know where I would be today without having found you and that cave, but I don't think it would be anything like this."

"You're very welcome. Thank you for learning of my mission and seeing it through to fruition. I shall be here if you need me further."

"I'm sure we will be calling you a lot," Hermione replied, snuggling tight to Harry's side.

"For sure," Harry noted. He gave a soft sigh and looked at Hermione. "Shall we?"

She gave him a nervous smile of her own before she kissed his cheek softly. "We shall."

With no further fanfare, Merlin moved off to the side and Harry and Hermione stepped forwards into the shimmering portal. As ever, they felt no unusual sense of displacement, simply stepping from one place into an entirely new one.

However, today they did not step out onto the low hillside overlooking the city and the mountains beyond. Instead, they appeared in the middle of the courtyard. The porta now sat in the centre of the open space, pointed in the direction of the distant mountains. The sound of water drew Harry's eye and he noted that Luna had completed her little stream around the porta pedestal as it were.

A single bridge three metres wide led forwards off the pedestal and the pair walked forwards, their belongings following on through, hovering in the air behind them. The others soon followed and Harry waited for them all to pass through before he looked over at the porta and with a few taps on his remote, disengaged the wormhole. Looking back through the ring, he could see the wide expanse of jungle beyond.

They were now inhabitants of Verda, for better or worse. Personally, he was hoping for better, but that only reminded him of the other task he had set for himself today.

"So, we've had the fanfare." He said, drawing the eye of the others who were milling about admiring the views. "I say, we all retire to our rooms and unpack. Then we can relax and enjoy our first dinner together in our new home."

Several of the others agreed and Harry couldn't help but smile as Parvati began to lead Padma away towards the tower that contained their new quarters. Dobby and Winky looked tiny as they trod off on their own together, chattering happily as they looked about, having only visited the planet twice so far. Harry was amazed at his small friend. At every step, he had taken all this massive change in stride.

He once more swore to himself to find a way to prove their lineage and help them rebuild their own civilization as well.

Hermione was looking at him silently, and Harry turned to face her fully, taking her properly into his arms. "There is something I want to show you." He said before pressing a gentle kiss to her lips.

"Lead away." She replied with a broad smile.

Harry took them towards the central tower and within a few minutes, they were standing near its peak. The room they were now in was massive, almost the size of the suite they'd had all those months ago in Las Vegas, but Harry thought that the view was even more incredible. They were higher than any of the other structures, so had an uninterrupted three-hundred-and-sixty-degree view of the city and its surroundings from the windows of the different rooms of the apartment.

Hermione took a moment to stare out the window into the distance, drinking in their new reality and Harry steadied himself for what he was about to do. Before he was ready, Hermione turned to him and he noticed her face fall as she saw his own. Harry steeled his resolve and stepped forwards.

"Hermione. You'd think this would be easy, given all that we have been through, but I still want to do it at least a little properly. So…" He took a deep steadying breath. "Will you do me the honour of moving in with me?"

Hermione's face glowed as she took in what he said before she crushed him firmly against her body. Harry felt her laughing silently as they hugged and it was several long moments before she pulled back and looked him in the eyes. "Yes, Harry. Is that why 'your' room is literally an entire flat in its own right?"

Harry nodded but gave no other reply.

"Yes. Very much yes. Though…" Hermione said, pulling back thoughtfully and Harry paused, suddenly worried. "If you think about it, we've pretty much been living together since we were eleven years old."

Harry pondered that thought for a moment before he realized she was indeed correct. They had eaten together, spent a significant portion of their spare time together, and studied together… for years. And for the past three or four, they truly had been living together, from the tent, to Number 12, to Fundamenta and Aether. And now they were officially living together here in Aedis as a couple.

"I love you, Hermione," he said softly, holding her tight.

"I love you, too. Kiss me, Harry, in our new home." She whispered, leaning in and pressing their lips together.

Harry had no idea what would come next for them now, but he was glad he was facing that future with her by his side.

ϟ

Natalie stood quietly, watching the shadow of the distant mountains mingling with that of the city, stretching away over the wide forest off to the east as their new star disappeared behind them for the night. The smallest of the three moons, the grey one, was mirroring the star as it descended over the trees, headed for the horizon as well and she heard the others chattering away behind her. She took a quiet sip from her glass and sighed happily at the taste of the unusual drink Luna had prepared for them all, apparently made from some small fruits she had already found in the very forest over which she now gazed.

"Honey?" Richard said softly, stepping up beside her.

"Hey." She replied, with a small smile.

"Something wrong?" He asked, looking at her with a tilt of his head.

She shook hers in response and closed her eyes for a moment, listening to the sound of the teens behind them chatting about their afternoon moving in and exploring their new home. While they had designed and built it, it was still an experience in and of itself to actually be here, inhabiting this incredible city.

"Everything is fine," She said, opening her eyes and stretching her hand out and running it over her husband's cheek. He had a thick stubble growing in, having not shaved for almost two weeks.

Richard hadn't grown a beard in a long time, and she realized that she had missed it somewhat. "I like this. Are you going to grow it out again?"

He watched her carefully for several moments before he nodded. "I think so, it just felt right."

"Good. You looked quite dashing with it the last time you grew it out."

"You're sure that you're ok?" He asked again, stepping closer and wrapping his arms around her.

Natalie sank into his embrace and turned in his arms to look at the table instead. It made her beyond happy to see their daughter sitting there with friends who she had literally changed the universe with. Their happy faces as they sat and talked about the most incredible and also the banalest things. It was unlike anything she'd felt before.

"Unfathomably ok. I feel like I'm floating amongst the clouds." She said, pressing her free hand over Richards where it crossed her waist. "Aren't you?"

"Very much so. You just looked like you had something on your mind."

She turned back in his arms and slung her own around his neck. "Oh, that I do." She replied, kissing him firmly, enjoying the light scratch of the stubble on her cheeks. "Take me to bed dear."

Richard pulled back and looked into her eyes in surprise, before his eyes flicked to the table, seeing if anyone had heard her statement. "You're sure."

"They don't need us up here watching them. I've other things I'd much rather be doing right now. I want to make love to my husband on an entirely new planet. Don't you?"

Richard gulped before he took her glass, setting it on a small table nearby. "Your wish is my command." He replied and the two quietly snuck their way from the room. Natalie gave one final glance at the joyful faces of the group around the table as they burst into laughter at Parvati's comment before Richard guided her into the cabinet and the pair were whisked away to their room for some alone time.