CyberTech Worlds Clash
Chapter XIII
Pillars of Light
Minerva McGonagall sat at the teachers table within the Great Hall of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry with a sense of unease.
The term had started weeks back, and Albus Dumbledore - along with practically all other members of The Order of the Phoenix had seemed to have disappeared just over a month ago.
She worried because they hadn't come back from a mission to capture the muggle Prime Minister, which was stupid, and she was certain they had probably been captured or something like that.
Albus' disappearance had already come to the attention to the Ministry of Magic and they had set her up with a substitute deputy headmistress while she took the roll of head teacher.
The woman they had sent was truly a filthy piece of work and was more racist than most Death Eaters she had come across and had started giving out detentions for being Muggleborn or… well other such things like being poor.
The woman (and McGonagall used the term woman very loosely) was a pug faced bitch (yes. She went there) woman that reminded McGonagall of a fat and slimy toad and wore these hideous pink cardigans with awful pink bows in her hair like she was five years old and didn't know any better yet or something. She also liked to talk 'sweetly' to people like they're stupid and Minerva was getting close to hexing the life out of her.
If only Albus got back, and then he would put a stop to her. Though, that sensible part of her brain knew he wouldn't care enough to get rid of her. Then again, McGonagall was pretty-certain that Dumbledore was never returning if even an iota of the rumours of the muggles power was true.
She sighed tiredly when she started as she heard something. Something sounding like wind being pushed; like a fan. She had heard the sound before somewhere and looked around to see other people, students and teachers looking for the source as it grew louder.
McGonagall frowned as she stood up and gestured for the other teachers and they reluctantly got up too. She took note that Severus looked quite alarmed as she turned and spoke to the students.
"All of you are to remain in this hall!" McGonagall spoke crisply. "Prefects are in charge."
Then she led the other teachers out of the hall and out of the entrance hall doors before they stopped in horror as two huge glowing white pillars of light beamed down from the dark sky and crashed into the ground.
McGonagall could only look up in horror and awe as the sky had been broken above them with huge cracks spreading outward from the holes in the sky. Then three more blazing pillars of light shattered through the sky and cracked into the ground throwing up dirt.
The pillars looked like they were nothing but light, but they stood erect while radiating light and McGonagall could feel the waves of energy pulsating from them.
Looking back up more pillars of light cracked through the sky and shattered into the ground. It looked like they were in a huge glass dome and some giant monster was cracking their pencils through it. The sky was tearing apart as more and more pillars cracked through the air, setting the atmosphere alight and revealing more and more of the wards.
The dome started bending inward, seemingly being drawn into the light beams already stuck in the ground, more and more crunching into the ground. Then their attention was caught as a blinding implosion of light in the far distance screamed and once they could blink the stars from their eyes, McGonagall thought she might throw up.
Flashing lights, red and blue were coming from Hogsmeade with huge spotlights beaming down and shining from the sky, but they couldn't see what was making that light, but they could see more white pillars spread out through the village streets.
McGonagall found herself crying out a few moments later and covering her eyes with her arms as one last pillar cracked down several metres away and the wards shattered like they were made out of glass.
The sound of propellers was buzzing louder than ever. McGonagall rubbed her eyes under her glasses and looked around as the school grounds were covered in pillars of light, but none seemed to have hit the castle itself.
Then looking up large black muggle machines flew while shinning lights from the sky when men fully kitted in black launched themselves out of a couple of machines, abseiling down they landed within moments while holding riffles with torches and aimed at the teachers, flanking them and holding them at gunpoint.
"Don't!" the leader of the men demanded as McGonagall went to raise her wand, but lowered it quickly as she saw several other machines landing on the grounds, and some large cars and other muggle vehicles startled her as she turned to see they had busted through the front gates and were charging up the main drive with huge lorries following them with blue and red flashing lights.
"Okay, please. On your knees, wands where we can see them, and hands on your heads!" the leader of the men: a large and scary looking black man with neat short hair and a large muggle riffle held trained on them with torches occasionally shining in their eyes!"
Minerva gulped and did as they requested along with most of the other teachers. However, the likes of the Toad, Delores Jane Umbridge and Severus Snape refused to obey and instead sneered at them defiantly.
"If you do not cooperate, we shall use force!" the military's commander suddenly demanded.
Snape went for his wand and fired a killing curse. However, one of the men moved in out of rank. He was dressed like the rest, but he had pale skin and short dark blonde hair with cold blue eyes as he dived in swiftly and threw his body into Snape with one hand around his wrist forcing the spell to fly harmlessly into the sky. They heard a crack while Snape screamed as he was thrown around and slammed face first into the dirt with a riffles muzzle rammed into his face.
"The Commander gave you a very wonderful suggestion!" the man growled in Snape's ear. "That suggestion did not include using any kind of magic, let alone murder spells!"
McGonagall quivered as Snape was crying and he was terrified and outclassed and outmatched. The muggle soldiers didn't even have to use their weapons to take them out.
Snape might have even wet himself as he was soon in shackled cuffs held behind his back and his wand was crushed into several pieces. The cuffs had glowing blue marking around them and Snape screamed out in rage and pain.
It was quite sad. However, McGonagall knew how he was feeling as some of the other soldiers kept them at gun point and allowed a few extras into their ranks and McGonagall and her fellow teachers were soon cuffed. She shivered as she felt the dampening of the energy in the cuffs. It felt similar to the white pillars still covering the grounds.
Though, McGonagall did find great pleasure as that filthy bitch, Umbridge cried out obscenities and screamed and struggled as her wand was removed and she was cuffed.
"Severus Snape!" the man who tackled Snape said coolly. "You are under arrest for attempted murder," he said before forcing his left sleeve up and scowling at the black tattoo marked there. "Also, you are under arrest under suspicion of having close ties to the terrorist organisation known as the Death Eaters! These nice police officers will read you your rights."
Snape was soon dragged away kicking and screaming with a couple of uniformed men who forced him into the back of a powerful looking armoured van while reading him his rights.
"And you. Dolores Umbridge, I believe you called yourself!" he said coldly turning to the toad. Well, she had been screaming it and about how she worked for the Minister as if that was a threat to them. "You are under arrest for resisting arrest; you might get out in a few weeks if you're lucky - these nice gentlemen will be taking-."
"W-wait!" The small Professor Flitwick quickly interrupted, startling them. "I want to make a formal complaint against her."
"Go ahead," the Commander agreed as one of his men whispered a name into his ear. "Professor Flitwick."
"She's been forcing students into detentions with her," he said quickly. "She has been making them write line… you know what lines are?" the Commander nodded while he and his men looked confused. "There's a quill. It's supposed to be for signing contracts as it uses your blood; you know blood signed contracts have more meaning," he said and checked to make sure they were following him.
"Well, it has a side effect that it cuts the word into the writers' hand," Flitwick said and wasn't surprised as the soldiers turned their angry looks toward Umbridge. "It heals them, but you can imagine doing that over and over? That woman… she was planted here by the Minister of Magic, and she's been forcing her detention students to write lines with a blood quill."
"Shut up Flitwick!" Umbridge screeched at him. "I'll have your job for this!"
"You do not have any authority here!" the Commander growled out. "We're also adding the charges of child abuse and assault! Take this bitch away!" he hissed through his teeth he was so angry, and the police officers were soon dragging her into her own private armoured police van, and both vans were soon leaving.
Nothing was said for a few moments as two more men and a woman exited one of the closer helicopters while the Commander was talking to someone over the radio.
The three newbies made it over soon. They were all wearing black uniforms with earpiece things, and they had weapons at their sides but no rifles.
One of the men was a lanky dark-skinned man with short clipped brown hair who kind of looked bored, as he rolled his eyes while looking all over the place and made the invasion scene seem less than the amazing thing it was.
The second man and the woman McGonagall knew. The man had long red hair tied back in a tail with rings looping around his left ear with a few studs in the top of his right with a dragon tooth dangling from his lob. He had a holster in black fastened around his left forearm with his wand in it. The woman wore her hair short, coloured a vivid dark purple with smiling blue eyes, and also had her wand on display on her arm.
Bill Weasley, and Nymphadora Tonks, (obviously former members of The Order of the Phoenix: a wizard and witch). McGonagall was less surprised than she thought she should be to find that they betrayed the Ministry of Magic, as she knew that both of them had gotten tired of the Ministry; but then, who hadn't?
"Captain!" the man who arrested them saluted as the three stopped in front of them and the large dark-skinned guy returned the greeting.
"At ease Commander!" he replied with a slight yawn. "Oh; you arrested that Snape one already?" he asked as he drew out a phone, unlocked the screen and pulled up the picture before checking out the staff.
"Yes, Sir!" the Commander agreed.
The Captain shrugged as he put his phone away. "Okay, fair enough; I did get here late," he groaned. "Someone make sure that one is brought into our facility. MI Five and the CIA have some questions for that shit face. We might let the States have him after we've finished with him. Apparently MACUSA has an open warrant for his arrest too. That piece of shit gets around," he said cool and calm but for the slight twitch of his right hand and the burning behind his eyes showed he was angry.
"Which one?" the Captain asked with another sigh as he looked over to Bill.
"Professor McGonagall," Bill said as he gestured towards her and the Captain shrugged with a nod. "Hey Professor. Let's get these off," he said crouching down and removing her cuffs. McGonagall sighed in relief as she felt her magic was free flowing the way it was supposed to be again.
"We need you to get all of the students to relinquish their wands or they're going to get hurt if they think about fighting," Bill said as he helped McGonagall stand.
"What's going on?" McGonagall asked timidly. "What about the students? What about classes? What about Hogwarts?"
"Hogwarts is now in the control of the British Government," the Captain said with a shrug while looking unconcerned. "From what they tell me; well, I overheard; they'll be adding in the boring classes we non-magical folks have to do along with your magic classes. But I don't know the finer details, Professor and I couldn't care less, I'm a soldier, not a… whatever this would be? I'm not your schools new head teacher."
"No. That would be me!"
She was startled as a young (late twenties) blonde haired woman approached and the soldiers moved aside for her. She was flanked either side by two more soldiers: a man and a woman; though, these two were both wearing CyberTech logos and brandishing CyberTech weapons.
The woman eyes were a grey-blue, and she held herself proper as she came to a stop. Minerva wasn't a fan of her short blue dress as it showed off her cleavage under her small black jacket.
"I am Professor Cordelia Cline; the new headmistress of Hogwarts," she spoke shocking her. "Mr. Avalon was kind enough to offer me this wondrous opportunity, as I have wanted to try my hand with kids, but I've never been too good with the younger ones. I just hope High School will come easier," she said smiling. "But please, we're both teachers here so please do call me Cordelia."
"Miss. Cordie," a soft voice interrupted as another young woman, smaller in size and younger than the first with short messy black hair and blue eyes came huffing and puffing as she charged to catch up with another military woman in CyberTech uniform running beside her.
"You should have woken me," she complained while switching her attention between Cordelia and all three security officers as she had to blame them all. "What if the helicopter went back to base with me still in it. I might have had to catch a bus back or take a taxi or something," she complained rather childishly for a girl seemingly in her late teens to early twenties. McGonagall had always found muggles hard to age without rudely asking because of the clothes they wore.
"Don't be silly," Cordelia replied while rolling her eyes. "Oh, this is my assistant Ashe Caddis. Well, shall we enter the school? I'm sure they'll be happier with me here rather than that toad they had before."
"Y-yes of course," McGonagall agreed as she led them with the whole military force behind them. "W-what about the other teachers?" she asked as they entered the entrance hall and a force of armed police were waiting with the other teachers.
"They shall be questioned about certain things," Bill started. "If we have no evidence to hold them for any major issues, we'll set them free to continue work," he spoke calmly and shrugged. "Plus, I believe Professor Cline will be renegotiating your contracts as members of staff."
"Oh," was all McGonagall could say. She was a little worried about some teachers potentially getting the sack anyway. However, they could no longer continue talking about such things as they entered the Great Hall. She was glad that the new head teacher looked to the ceiling in amazement with her assistant but was surprised that the soldiers only glanced at it as if they had seen better.
The students had been talking amongst themselves, many of which had been squeezing to look out of the windows but rushed back to seats when they entered and trailed off into complete quiet as they walked to the front of the hall.
McGonagall looked to Professor Cline for guidance and she just gestured for her to stand up front and talk. McGonagall took a deep breath as she stood up front and looked around at the anxious faces. Bill, Tonks, and the Captain and Commander stood to the side nearby while the rest of the soldiers flanked the hall; thankfully none of the students had a weapon pointed at them.
Professor Cline and her assistant Miss. Caddis were standing the other side smiling around at all the students with their guards standing either side of them at attention and paying full attention to the goings on around them.
"Okay… students. I would like to introduce to you, your new Head Mistress," McGonagall chose to dump her new boss straight into the fray as she didn't know what was going on. "Professor Cordelia Cline."
Cordelia was startled as McGonagall seemed to give her a smirk as she quickly moved back from the front.
The students looked around at each other and the chatter started up as they looked from Cordelia as she stepped up front and back to the armed soldiers around the hall in worry and concern.
"Settle down!" Cordelia called gently but nobody would. "Ashe!"
McGonagall gasped with everyone else as Ashe flicked her right hand and a roar of blue flames burst out and around and circled around the hall, forming a might blue flamed phoenix. It flew around roaring with power and the students and soldiers could only stare as they went silent. Then a few moments later the flames splashed away into tiny ashes of embers.
"Good," Cordelia said smilingly. "I'm glad you're all quiet. Well, it is wonderful to meet you all. I'm sure I'll get to know my precious students. However, we have a few matters to attend today. First, these nice men and women would like for you to relinquish your wands for a short while; don't worry; they shall be returned in due course."
"I'm doing no such thing!" A Slytherin boy roared out angrily.
Cordelia just stared at him for a moment. "I see. Would you like to tell that to my dear Ashe? She's my personal assistant. Ashe Caddis," she introduced the blue flame girl.
"Filthy muggles!" he roared out as he drew his wand, and Ashe blazed away in a flash of blue flame and snatched the wand from the boys hand as she reappeared in front of him, and the wand turned to dust in her hand as her fingers and hand curled with sapphire flames.
"Professor Cline said to hand over your wands," Ashe said coolly. "You will have them returned if you hand them over to the soldiers. But if you don't mind handing your wooden twigs to me… well," she let the ash from the wand drift through her fingers while the boy looked at her in horror and staggered back until he was seated again.
"Well, I'm glad that's sorted," Cordelia said with a smile as Ashe flashed back to flames and reappeared back at her side. "Now, if you would be so kind as to hand over your wands."
They had little choice as men and women went around, tagging and bagging wands and giving the students receipts. Plus, that strange fire-witch was scary powerful, and they didn't want to bother her collecting their wands; they wanted more than a pile of ash returned to them.
"Much better," Cordelia said as she looked towards the Commander as he had several soldiers viewing the students through large sets of goggles that looked like VR headsets and pointing out a few students while talking in his earpiece.
The Commander stepped forward. "If you have a second wand whether that is permitted by the school or not; you will relinquish it too. Plus, anything that could be considered dangerous. If you chose to continue playing ignorant, I can always have you taken to a private room and strip searched."
He gestured towards one of the women wearing a bulky piece of headgear. "That right there," he continued coolly, "can detect things like wands and hidden weapons. If it turns out any item that you have is not a threat it shall be returned with your wand or wands-."
"Actually, Professor McGonagall," Professor Cline interrupted. "Are they allowed two wands at the school?"
Professor McGonagall was surprised but replied, "well, it's not illegal to own multiple wands it is however prohibited by the school rules to bring multiple wands to school."
"I see," Professor Cline said before gesturing the Commander.
"Hand it all over and I'm sure this once your Professor's will overlook this, and confiscated spare wands will be returned at the end of the school year," the Commander said coolly while Cordelia nodded, McGonagall was more reluctant, she knew offering no punishment would be a better bet for getting cooperation.
There was a lot of sheepish students handing over things from spare wands to watches, and even sweets, and decks of cards. McGonagall had to step forward as she thought about all those things the muggle detectors might consider dangerous that weren't. Even a few backpacks were confiscated as they had some powerful enchantments (though luckily the soldiers weren't unreasonable and let them remove their school things).
"Commander, Captain?" Cordelia questioned the two men. "Are you both satisfied with everything?" She waited a minute before the Commander gave her the all clear with a smile and a nod.
"Okay then," Cordelia continued with a smile as she looked out over her worried students. "Next, during the following week we shall be interviewing all of you. Most interviews will take about half an hour, and they are mandatory. But don't worry, it's just to hopefully get a read on the Sorcery Community and hope you're all in wonderful health, mental as well as physical.
"And you will get an appropriate adult who will be very helpful," she said thoughtfully. "They will answer every and any question you have and will be willing to talk to you about whatever you wish. Also, it will be one hundred per cent up to you if you would like a parent or family member in with you when it is your time for interview. Though, that could delay you and us, and parents or guardians might be reluctant.
"However, last, please keep this in mind," Cordelia went on. "We are here to protect you – whether that be from Voldemort-." She paused for the collective shudder, "Albus Dumbledore-." She paused again for the collective WTF gasp, "or your own parents, family members, or anyone who has or might ever want to hurt you; you know, like teachers are supposed to.
"Anyway, I'm pleased to say that we will be adding classes to the school curriculum," she said chuckling kindly as so many students looked uncertain and confused. "But not just normal schooling, but we'll be adding clubs to the school too, even self-defence if you're interested because we know the world isn't as perfect as we could all hope."
Cordelia grinned as she got quite a few nods of agreement. "Anyway," she carried on. "Since Professor Snape has been arrested and I am firing him once I get to his paperwork," she said and took pleasure that even Slytherin students looked relieved. "Ashe shall be taking over as co-Head of House with Miss. Tonks here," she said almost laughing as the purple haired woman waved nervously to the students, "and Mr. Weasley," she finished coolly as he gave a stiff nod.
"They're all quite busy souls," Cordelia said with a laugh. "That's why for now they shall split the workload until we can establish a more permanent Head. Slytherins – please don't be shy. They'll be willing to listen to any problems you might have, and if they can't handle it or you feel the need for higher authority you are welcome to see either myself or Professor McGonagall; but that last part is good advice for any student.
"I just-," Cordelia began but paused and turned to Professor McGonagall. "Have they eaten yet?" she asked quickly, and the older woman shook her head no. "Okay, since its late," she continued while turning back to her students, "we'll let those strange little elf guys in the kitchens send up the food before you clear off to bed.
"However, first I have a few messages before I forget," she said gently. "You will receive the return of your wands once the interviews are finished. Also, there will be trained soldiers on site until Voldemort and all his Death Eaters have been dealt with, so please do not try anything stupid with them. There shall also be workers, doctors, and other members of staff from CyberTech working on some new renovations within the school grounds."
Cordelia finished and paused for a full minute but there was nothing but silence before she turned back to McGonagall. "That was kind the cue for the food to appear on the tables like Amy said it would…" she whispered but she was sure everyone could hear as she saw the Commander smirk to hide his chuckle.
"Oh, right," she replied quickly and with a click of her fingers a huge feast of freshly cooked food spread across the four house tables.
CyberTech CyberTech CyberTech
"Wow. What an adorable, birdy!" Ashe squealed out in delight as she had been resting outside her trailer a few hours after dinner and Tonks was on Slytherin duty. She was sitting back on a chair chatting with Cordelia while juggling some blue fireballs.
Ashe caught all the fireballs and they blew out as the red and orange bird blast into existence from flames and startlingly landed on her knee. She happily started petting the bird while her bodyguard aimed her gun at the thing.
The fingers of Ashe's hand started burning with red to blue as she stroked the phoenix, before they splashed into that blue and the feathers on the bird changed colour to match like a flick book.
"You don't find that odd at all, do you?" Cordelia asked with a nervous smile.
Ashe shrugged thoughtfully. "It's a magical birdy; it does magical stuff," she said now poking its silver beak as the gold changed colour too.
The bodyguard pulled back her gun and gave Ashe a nervous smile. "Girl… I thought your younger sister had problems," she said with a sigh.
"Yeah, Evelyn's going to be so proud of me!" Ashe kind of agreed. "I am going to teach little school kids!"
"That was Fawkes!" Bill Weasley interrupted as he had been passing on his way back to the school when the bird turned up so diverted course. "Umm… well is, Fawkes," he said looking at the blue phoenix. "It was Dumbledore's phoenix, but I guess he chose you as a replacement. You know. I guess he likes whatever that fire thing is you do."
"Wow; that's so cool," Ashe said happily as she squealed in delight as the bird started singing for them a wonderful song that sung of new hope; new beginning; their futures.
CyberTech CyberTech CyberTech
"Hey boss-man!" a squat little man with green tinted skin and a huge mouth barged into a nicely furniture office in a squat (wearing jeans, converses, and a shaggy green hoody).
The white-haired man behind the desk in the office looked to be in his late fifties to early sixties, but he was quite a bit older. He was just hanging up a phone call (and wearing an expensive looking blue suit). He ignored the fool for a moment adjusting his PC monitor, before his pale blue eyes glared hard at him.
"Toad; how many times have I told you to knock!" he demanded in annoyance. "Just spit it out already; I have not got all day to play with you!"
"Whoa… sorry!" he exclaimed. "I forget, but anyway I found Pietro!"
The white-haired man's eyes lit up a little as a small smile, which could be mistaken for a scowl curved at his lips.
"So where IS he!" he demanded in annoyance.
Toad started and shook his head clear as a cocky grin stretched his wide lips, and the white haired man grimaced in disgust as a long slimy purple tongue shot out of his mouth almost reaching the high ceiling, as it hit a fly before pulling back and he swallowed the bug.
"He's been transferred to The Crater!" he chimed out in his sickly croak that quite frankly was really-annoying.
However, annoying, disgusting piece of trash or not the Toad had his uses. Though, he noted one problem.
"And where exactly is The Crater!" he demanded in annoyance.
Toad shrugged sheepishly. "I don't know exactly, but I do know it was finished by, and is now ran by and owned by, CyberTech," he said smugly as his boss's eyes lit up intrigued once more. "And I do know it's in the UK somewhere, but it's new, so news about it is pretty rare. Though, rumour says something about it being capable of holding code reds."
The white-haired man's interest was piqued as his eyes widened interestedly. "Code reds huh?" he muttered to himself laughingly, but Toad nodded anyway looking confused.
"Err; boss what is a code red?"
"Get lost I have things to prepare!" was his answer, and Toad knew better than to push his luck any more than he already had and was quick to leave.
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