To Green Angel Tower

by Lerris

Some say magic enforces contracts, but really, that is just silly. If magic was sentient like that, then wouldn't it have better things to do? Some say that there is no cure for the darkness, and yet, there is light. This is a story about fighting for the light with logic, reason, and a bit of engineering as their allies. This is a story about how Green Angel Tower came to be.

5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: The characters used within this are mostly the property of others. I have a few originals, but the vast majority are not original. Everything here is fiction. This is for entertainment only and not for profit.

-=oOo=-

To Green Angel Tower - Chapter 5

-=oOo=-

"So dragons. I had wondered what that woman in the ministry wanted us to face," said Harry dryly.

"I don't know much about them either. In theory you can do a conjunctivitis curse to their eyes, but that would probably just make them really mad," said Fleur.

"I'm pretty sure we can apparate around, with some effort. The wards may prevent us crossing them with apparition, maybe, but just getting out of the way, I think we can do," said Harry.

"You might damage the wards forcing it, but by all means, if your life is in danger," said Fleur.

"You can't be serious," said Cedric.

"They appear to be," added Krum.

"I wonder if I can manage to conjure something big enough to fight a dragon?" mused Harry.

"Wouldn't it be simpler to just stun it?" asked Fleur.

"Not sure if my overpowered stunner will penetrate, and that does sound boring," mused Harry.

"Harry, if you get hurt because you are avoiding being boring, I'll make sure no one kisses you for a month."

"On second thought, boring it is," said Harry cheerfully.

Cedric and Victor laughed.

-=oOo=-

"Cedric's is about as expected. Decent, but not extraordinary," mused Daphne from their place on the stands.

"It is about time you returned," said a sarcastic voice.

"Go away Draco."

"Just wait. This coven thing will be annulled and you will be sold as chattel. Then, if your lucky, I will buy you," said Draco.

"You know Draco, there was a time when I thought I might actually like the male of the species. You ruined that for me, but I think I'm better off," mused Draco.

"What!?" he sputtered.

Hermione smiled.

"Your bluffing."

"Am I? I honestly am not looking for romance, but I could certainly do a lot worse than any of the women in the Coven."

Hermione blushed. Draco stalked off.

"I thought maybe you and Harry were warming to each other," said Hermione.

"Not as much as you two, or even Fleur, though I think you have the lead, if you care about such things."

"I don't actually, though I admit I am a bit curious."

"Later," said Daphne.

"I may hold you to that."

Daphne blushed.

Hermione turned back to the main event. "Did we just miss Victor? Stupid Draco."

"I saw part of it. He did a bit better than Cedric, but then pissing off a dragon is not high on my list of things to do."

"And now it is Fleur Delacour's turn. Officially she no longer represents Beauxbaton's but instead a Coven with her as the leader. Harry Potter is also in that Coven."

"How do you think Fleur will handle this?" asked Hermione.

"She is somewhat limited, partly for staying politically correct. My guess is she will try a stunner."

A stunner thicker than an arm shot out from her wand and impacted on the Swedish dragon's head, but missed its eyes. The dragon staggered. She fired two more in rapid succession. The dragon collapsed.

"Good guess. Wonder what Harry is going to do," mused Hermione.

Five minutes later Harry was out there. He cast Sonorous.

"I promised Fleur that I wouldn't do anything really dangerous, but I'd also rather not just do what she did, though I will if necessary. I think I'll summon my broom and try to dash past it."

"Harry," warned Fleur with her own Sonorous.

"Just kidding. How about I just summon the Egg. Let's try an overpowered summoning charm against whatever anti summoning protection it has."

Harry cast the charm. It resisted. Harry cast it again. It resisted again.

Dumbledore cast a sonorous. "Nice try Harry. I cast that charm."

Harry shrugged, then focused hard. He cast a summoning charm with at least double the effort of before. WIth a puff of smoke, the anti summoning charm broke, and the egg came right to his hands.

"A bit boring I must admit. I'm also surprised I broke your charm."

"There is a limit to how strong the anti summoning charm can be, no matter how strong you are. You might remember that," said Dumbledore still using a sonorous.

"Got it. So what's next?"

"The second event is in a few months, though there is a Yule ball before it."

"Pass."

"Then I suppose we will see you at the next event Harry."

Harry walked out to join Fleur, met up with the other two and left.

-=oOo=-

Neville took the copy of the Daily Prophet from the owl and paid him before opening the front page.

"Delacour and Potter make it look easily. Potter continues to shun England."

"Potter this and Potter that. I get sick of it," said Ron.

"We know Ron," said one of the twins.

"You know. What I really want to know is how he does it. I mean, seriously, he somehow gets three very awesome birds and his own little Coven. Didn't one of our stories that Mom took away from us end like that Fred?" said the other.

"I believe so George."

"Think he would tell us his secret."

"Doubt it, though maybe we could visit?"

"It is an idea. Perhaps we can learn his secrets."

"I did find out something amusing."

"Oh, brother mine, what am I missing?"

"Apparently Draco tried to intimidate dear Daphne."

"I can imagine that worked really well."

"She professed that he convinced her to give up on men."

Half the school burst out laughing.

"I want to know how they got so powerful. Probably some dark ritual," muttered Ron loudly.

"Ron use your dang brain for a change. If such a dark ritual existed then it wouldn't be just Voldemort who was strong, it would be every death eater," said Angelina.

"I think that Mr. Weasley here should focus less on dark rituals and more on doing his actual homework and studying. Right now you are expected to repeat your forth year," said Minerva crisply.

"How is that a problem?" asked Ron in confusion.

"For one, Hogwarts costs a great deal of money, or haven't you noticed the hours your father works," said Minerva crisply.

Ron shrugged.

"For another, you only get one repeat. If you fail again, I can, and will expel you, particularly if it seems you were only passing because of all of Miss Granger's help. If no other school takes you prior to you passing sufficient owls you will have your wand snapped and your magic bound," said the Headmaster harshly.

Ron gulped.

Draco laughed. The Headmaster glared at him. He shut up.

-=oOo=-

"This book on wizarding design is complete an utter garbage!" exclaimed Hermione's father Dan.

Hermione looked sheepish, but did not defend the book.

"True. I looked at it earlier. Their idea of design is using a feather quill on parchment," said Hermione's mother Emma.

"What would you use?" asked Appoline curiously.

"Computers, modern computer aided drawing, and possibly modern computer aided fabrication," said Emma.

"They will obviously not work here. I'm not sure if the smaller chateau the children are using will work either. We have to replace the television every couple months."

"Our house was insured, and thankfully we weren't vacant so long that they could claim not to cover. We also already sold the property. We could buy a normal house," said Dan.

"We would want to keep such a purchase secret. If it isn't going to be properly warded, then that is all you have really," said Alain.

"We can do that. We should be able to put it in someone's name."

"Let's just rent something small Dan, perhaps from an individual that likely won't add our names to any database. All we need is a place to put computers and work right? Can we use those portkeys back and forth?" asked Emma.

"I'm not certain how they will effect the computers. You may have to do so a certain distance away, or simply drive a car. We do have one," said Alain.

"Ours got destroyed, though again we could buy one. Also, nothing personal, but your car is a mint classic that draws far too much attention," said Dan.

"Agreed. I hate to even drive it. It almost seems a sin to get it dirty," muttered Emma.

"It is for use." Alain shrugged.

"Let's go pick out a car today. Maybe get another Subaru Forester. I don't care if it is the same year. I liked that car," said Dan.

"Unfortunately, we probably need six seats, at least if we want to bring those four along sometimes. I think Jeep has a six seat Cherokee," said Emma.

"I could possibly buy one of whatever as well," said Alain.

"Can we go back to our old offices for a day? We really need to use a computer somewhere and figure this stuff out," said Dan.

"I can of course create a portkey, though international ones are a headache. It is best to get an official one."

"And can we reuse that?" asked Emma.

"No. They will only make single use ones. I'd have to work at getting a multi use one, and those have to be used by someone with magic, that can supply the magic for the entire trip every time."

"So we would have to have one of the kids. Doable, probably, particularly since they could presumably just apparate back."

"They could probably side along you. Portkeys are probably less uncomfortable than side along, if not by much," said Appoline.

"I think we are just going to drive. It seems less a mess, at least once we buy a car and all that," said Emma.

"At times I'm tempted to do that as well, but I'd be driving for hours a day, and it just isn't worth it," said Alain.

"We can go now if you want," offered Appoline.

-=oOo=-

"Hey Marge. You do know that if and when we do set up in France, your welcome there, and if you need anything, you can call us," said Emma.

"Oh, don't worry about it. The group you joined before you had to leave is keeping me on with a slight increase in pay. I'm just here to continue the work of bringing the old files into their new system."

"Sounds good. We lost a lot of stuff when that creep burned down our house and we were in the area, so we thought we would use the computers to search for a car among other things," said Dan.

"What kind of car are you looking for?" she asked curiously.

"Well, presumably for local transport, but we might be bringing our daughter and her friends places, so maybe seats six."

"A friend of mine, well actually a friend of mine's dad has a nineteen seventy one Volkswagen bus. It's mint. Its painted silver with a white top. It's a really solid vehicle, which has been garaged most of its life. Even when it was driven they cleaned the underside and kept it clean, plus sprayed oil on everywhere that might rust. It sounds nastier than it is, but it prevented most damage. I think they want twenty five thousand pounds for it."

"It's really solid, should start and run reliably with a minimum of fuss?" asked Emma curiously.

"Sure. It's not a fast vehicle or anything, and I wouldn't drive it on icy roads if I could avoid it, but its will do what you want otherwise. I don't think it has air conditioning."

"Could we take a look?" asked Dan.

"Sure, let me make a call."

-=oOo=-

Dan was in the front seat of the old, but essentially mint bus with Emma in the passenger's seat.

"This is perfect," said Dan.

"No kidding. It has no electronics for the kids to fry, well other than a radio maybe."

"Yep, and given they can probably magic it a little, if they are not obvious, it is even better."

"Cut the weight and it would run a lot better," mused Dan.

Emma laughed, but then gave it serious thought. "Do you think we could get them to somehow expand the back and have a small apartment in it?"

"Maybe, but it wouldn't work for computers."

"I'm sure we won't get so lucky finding houses or even rentals. Still, we know where the Delacour family lives, so that narrows the area."

Two hours later they found nothing, well almost nothing.

"The area the Delacours own is actually pretty extensive. A part of me is tempted to build something there, if they don't mind," said Dan.

"We could possibly buy a motor home."

"Too little space, particularly if we want to build anything."

"Insulated metal building with heat, power, bathroom?" suggested Emma.

"The right construction workers could likely build something like that in little time. We could have a separate garage."

"We should add a kitchen of some kind too, if we are going to be there long enough," added Emma.

"The president's wife did give us her number. We are not actually asking for free. Just some people that can get the job started and done, that is if the Delacours agree."

"Let's contact them and find out."

-=oOo=-

"Let me see if I understand. You want to build a large shop where you can do magical research using computers and such, but keep it on the adjacent property the Delacours own, but away from magic?"

"Yes."

"Do you mind if we send people to make sure things stay secure? We have no problem with you doing this. We just don't want problems."

"No, why would we object to free security?" asked Emma.

"I'll have someone stop by that area tomorrow afternoon. Come and bring your basic plans. Don't worry about the cost, or any reasonable equipment costs. As long as your sharing whatever you learn with our mages, all of that is paid for. Any commercial exploitation would be shared appropriately. We won't turn down making money, if we can find a way, but I assure you you won't come out badly in the deal."

"That all sounds reasonable. We mainly didn't want the project to be delayed months just to get the basics built. We thought about trying to get magical builders, but everything is so expensive and time consuming."

"I'm fairly certain you are correct. Hopefully you can learn something tomorrow and perhaps, if we are lucky, find a team next week to get started. I for one would like to see what we can do together."

"Agreed."

-=oOo=-

"The yule ball is coming up," said Neville softly.

Luna looked over at him and smiled. Gone was her normal semi confused expression.

"Would you do me the great honor of attending with me?"

"I'd love to. Do you think we can get your grandmother to spring us to find clothing?" she asked hopefully.

"What about your father?" he asked softly.

"He hasn't really been the same since my mother died. I don't mind, but it is hard some times. I think he and my mother did the same thing Harry and the others did, though without Harry's mysterious strength increase."

"Then if one of them dies..."

"Maybe. I honestly am guessing."

"Your not..."

"Pretending to be more spacey than I am. It is hard at times for me. I don't see the world quite like you do Neville, but yes I know what is real and what is not. I can see more, I guess than most. It isn't the future, save maybe probabilities and then only for the next moments. Magic is always visible as is so much else. When Mommy died I was left a little broken. I think I got whatever she was trying to achieve, but I can't turn it off Neville."

"That's amazing. Seen anything big we should know about?"

Luna looked at him softly, as if debating whether or not she should answer.

"You don't have to tell me. I didn't mean to be rude."

"A great crystal castle, made of many shades of green crystal. It has a great central spire and seven smaller towers, sitting under a sky with two moons."

"Do you know what it means?" asked Neville seriously.

"It is, I think a possible future, if we make the right choices. I think I even know the name."

"Really?"

"Yes, it has a name I can't pronounce, and another. That is likely what we will call it. It is Green Angel Tower."

"That's amazing."

"Your the only one I told. Please don't tell anyone else."

"Alright. Do you think Harry and the others might be able to help?"

"Perhaps. The are quite beautiful to look at; all of them, but also so very bright. Did you know, I saw Astoria once after they helped her. She came back to talk to her teachers and get some records."

"No. I'm sorry. I don't follow."

"Astoria was very very sick. She had some kind of curse on her bloodline, and now she doesn't, and yet her magic now looks so very light, with little pieces of Harry, Hermione, Daphne, and Fleur in it."

"They cured it?"

"It seems so."

"Figures. Ron makes up crap, and if anything they are practicing high level light magic."

"Ron is an idiot," said Luna softly.

"I'm not that great either," said Neville.

"You are ill informed."

"What?"

"I have been debating telling you. I probably should of, but your wand really doesn't like you. I haven't seen you use it much, but I have seen enough to be sure of that."

"We are in different years, so that is no surprise. It's my dad's wand. Why would it not like me?"

"Because it is not yours. You should talk to Minerva, but leave me out of it please."

"Alright. I'll talk to my grandmother as well about clothing."

"Thank you Neville." She kissed him on the cheek before skipping away. After Neville walked away she turned back. A tear was in her eye.

Padme came up beside her. "Are you okay Luna?"

"Neville is a good man, you know that?"

"I do, but I thought he was interested in you."

"I wish to see Green Angel Tower more than I wish to marry Neville one day."

"Huh?"

"Don't worry about it."

"Your being oddly serious for once."

Luna smiled. "Don't worry about that either."

"Alright."

-=oOo=-

"Mr. Longbottom, why do you think your wand may need replaced?"

"I just remember someone saying that your wand has to be matched to you."

"And yours was not?"

"Well it was my dad's wand."

Minerva's eyes widened. "I will talk to Augusta. We will get this fixed."

"Thanks."

-=oOo=-

"Neville, I must apologize for asking you to use a wand that was not suited. I have inadvertently held you back."

"It's fixed now, and everything I try is much easier with this wand. You also bought Luna and I clothes for the ball."

"Nevertheless, I don't have to bring you and Luna back till Monday. Is there anyplace else you would like to go?"

"Let's go visit Harry."

"I can certainly get a port key to France, but I do not know where they are living."

"It's the Delacour's right?" asked Neville.

"I do not know where that is."

"Oh, I think I can fix that. Since we are in your house I assume a spell won't be noticed," said Luna.

"It will not."

Luna quickly cast a patronus. It took the shape of a ghostly rabbit. She then bent down and said, "Tell Harry, Neville and I would like to visit, and if he could kindly tell us how to get there."

Five minutes later a fully corporeal, and seemingly solid unicorn burst in, though thankfully it was only solid inside of walls.

"We will head to the French Portkey terminal, if that works."

"That does indeed," said Augusta.

Luna replied with her own patronus, "We will head that way soon."

-=oOo=-

"What is this building for?" asked Augusta.

Dan Granger stood. "We are trying to learn how to mix muggle technology to produce better magical artifacts."

"Isn't that illegal or something?" asked Augusts.

"Well it certainly isn't in France. You can't give people that don't know about magic anything that will clue them in, but we don't intent to, so it isn't an issue."

"What's in the box?" asked Luna.

"That's a titanium three-d printer. It's currently printing, well a ball with the runic sequence we figured out," said Emma.

It stopped making noise and the light went out.

"Looks like it is done." Dan unlocked the cabinet, and after a bit of work and a bit of cleanup they had a perfect hollow titanium ball with runes etched into it. He tossed the ball to Hermione, who caught it.

"Be careful," muttered Hermione.

"If it breaks, we can build another," said Dan.

"But then I'd have to wait to test it," complained Hermione.

"Can you, test it, in here that is?"

"Better take it outside," said Hermione.

They followed her outside.

"Harry levitate it without it moving. It will take me awhile to charge all these," said Hermione.

"Alright." Harry absently swung his wand and then froze. The ball remained absolutely still about three feet in the air as Hermione touched each rune with her wand imparting energy into it.

"It should be good now. Ease off," said Hermione.

Harry did so. The ball did not move.

"Did you just make something like a quidditch ball?" asked Augusta.

"Some of the runes are the same, but the primary goal was a magical device that would float without much magic input. This is also intended for a game," said Daphne.

Harry grabbed it and tossed it a few feet in the air. It came back down to the approximate three feet level it started with. He then tossed it to Fleur, who tossed it way up an arc before it arced back down to near Daphne, again about three feet from the ground. She swatted it back to Hermione, deliberately angling down. It followed the direction of her hit, but then on the way to Hermione rose again to nearly three feet before she caught it.

"Step one is a success. Pity we couldn't make the height something we could change on the fly," said Hermione.

"That ball stays at that height, what forever?" asked Neville.

"No, the ball just uses the energy I gave it, so it will eventually run out. There are runes to try to draw in natural mana, so it might be possible. We actually haven't thought about that," said Hermione.

"This was a step in our development plan to make a magitech airplane," said Daphne.

"A what?" asked Augusta.

"You haven't seen an airplane? Hmm, let me bring up an A330 taking off on this screen," said Emma.

They watched a youtube video on the computer.

"Muggles are inside that?" asked Augusta in horror.

Emma laughed. "All the time. Flying isn't bad, and it allows us to get to places quick, well we can't beat your apparition or port keys, but it is a heck of a lot more comfortable."

"And your going to make one of those?" asked Augusta dubiously.

"Well no. We will start with a small private jet, and likely replace all the conventional systems with magitech equivalents," said Fleur.

"What is magitech?" asked Neville.

"That's just a name Hermione got out of a fiction book for combining magic with technology. It fit, so we use it," said Harry.

"What does it gain to replace the muggle stuff with magic?" asked Augusta.

"Oh, for one it wouldn't be polluting. For two, as long as witches and wizards are on board it shouldn't need fuel. For three, we can negate most of the weight, so that makes it way easier. For four, we can make it mostly invisible pretty easily. For five, we think, but haven't proved that we can dramatically cut air resistance," said Hermione.

"I followed none of that."

"It will be, we hope, far faster, invisible, and suitable for magical flights, or possibly a few other ideas we are kicking around," said Daphne.

"So a much better broom then?"

"More or less."

"I see."

"Hey, Harry can I talk to you for a minute?" asked Neville.

"Sure, we can walk into the woods a bit."

-=oOo=-

"What's up Neville?"

"I can't say how I know, but is it true you healed Astoria?"

"We haven't seen the reason to spread that, and it was just four massively overpowered patronus charms, but yes."

"Do you think maybe it might do something for my mom and dad?"

"Neville, I thought your parents died."

"No, they are in St. Mugnos. Bellatrix tortured them into insanity."

"I'm sorry to hear that. We will try. If that is all, we probably should head back."

"It was. Thanks. I mean even if this doesn't work. Thanks."

"We will try our best, and if it doesn't work, we won't give up, but it might be awhile till we think of another idea."

Neville nodded.

-=oOo=-

"Neville found out about us healing someone, but it was really just four overpowered patronus charms. Daphne, do you think that healer your family knows, might consider looking at Neville's mom and dad and see if he can do anything, or if us trying that again makes sense?"

"I'm pretty sure Healer Davis would be honored to at least try."

Augusta zeroed in on her. "You truly got him to come out of retirement? He tried for years. He is a lot better than any of the current ones."

"We did."

"Your sister," said Augusta softly.

"You are remarkably well informed, but it wasn't as if it was a total secret either."

"You all healed that?"

"We believe so. There is no sign of it at least."

"If Healer Davis approves a course of treatment, I will of course support it. We will also pay any fees of course," said Augusta.

"Okay, I'll go talk to him and see what he says." Daphne vanished with a barely audible pop.

"Did she just apparate between France and England?" asked Augusta in surprise.

"Don't worry, they can't track us, if we don't want them to," said Fleur in amusement.

Fifteen minutes later Daphne returned with a barely audible pop. "He agreed to head to Saint Mugnos in the morning. He wants us there. Does that work?"

"We will be there. I will have to be since he is no longer the attending, but it is no problem," said Augusta.

"My family has plenty of guest rooms, should you wish to stay the night," offered Fleur.

"You truly would not mind?"

"No. In fact, were I not to offer such basic hospitality I'm sure my father would chide me for it."

"Then we will of course accept. When will you make something new towards your flying thing?"

"Probably a couple weeks. We are kind of learning as we go, and sometimes we find the books aren't quite right, and have to fix all that and redo things." Hermione shrugged.

The man who stood by the door walked forward. "Sorry if I didn't introduce myself earlier. I'm with the president of France's personal guard. I did get a bit of information you may want."

"Yes?" asked Hermione hopefully.

"We support you finding out what you need to know, be it by calling in experts, going to experts, requesting books. Anything within reason. We can also source the jet you need once your ready for that."

"That is a ways off. Perhaps you can think of a runes and arithmancy master we can owl? I suppose we could also use them here, if they have the time."

"Would you like us to look, or would you like to look?"

Hermione blinked. "I certainly have no objection, provided they can keep an open mind. If they are going to see the computer and want nothing to do with it, well that isn't helpful."

"Agreed," said the other three.

"We will try to make some progress on that soon."

"Thanks."

"Would it be possible for me to take the ball with me?"

"Sure. I think my calculations guessed it would work for a few days, without recharging. Just be a little careful. It is experimental, though shouldn't be dangerous."

"We will."

Late that night Harry continued to work in his room. He finished by writing a letter and asked Hedwig to take it in the morning.