CyberTech Worlds Clash
Chapter LXVII
Family Skill
Luke rolled his shoulders as he stepped out of his limo outside of the Leaky Cauldron pub before his car pulled away. He looked it over and could see the reflection of the blue lights on his neural net on his forehead in the filthy dirt covered windows.
He looked down at his black suit top with white tee shirt underneath with black trousers and white running shoes. "You know, Tyde, looking at the filth on the outside; I think I'm going to be overdressed, and I went kind of business casual."
"You're telling me," she replied and he could feel the disgust in her voice. "Haven't these people at least heard of window cleaners?"
"I don't know," he replied shrugging as he took a few deep breaths. "But let's check this place out, huh?" he asked, but didn't wait for her reply and she didn't give it.
Luke walked forward and pushed open the door into the pub, grimacing as he stepped in feeling grossed out. The place was dark and dank and the early morning breakfast crowd were already in wearing these old-fashioned robes, and some were even smoking from normal cigarettes to pipes that gave off enough smoke to obscure them from sight.
"That can't be healthy," he muttered to himself as he could smell the place. He crinkled up his nose in disgust and more so looking around the place. It was filthy, and the tables were blackened with grime, and the building was lit by candles. "This place is filthy," he said looking to the bar where a man stood waiting to serve him from his look, not that Luke would ever think about drinking here.
Therefore, Luke at least needed some advice so walked over. "Hey, I need some info if you got it," he said eying the man he pulled out a plain, pure gold coin from his pocket, placing it down on the worktop, as he knew about goblin coins from Gringotts, he didn't have any of their money, and knew goblin coins weren't pure, so real gold was just as usable in the magical world as muggle, if the person or persons chose to accept it, and he was sure it was easier to cash in within the wizarding world.
The man wasn't as dirty as anyone else around, and he looked the coin over in awe, as he checked it over with his wand, and determined its authenticity before sliding the coin into his robe pocket with a simple nod.
"Okay, what do you want to know?" he asked eagerly. "Here you go, on the house, fire whiskey," he said pouring into a surprisingly clean glass. Luke looked at it dubiously though. "Yeah, I know the place is a shithole, but with the way things are I'm in no fit state to really do much with the laws and prices, then taxes. I tried cleaning it up when I first inherited it, but the wizards and witches that regulated didn't like it, and well, they don't much like change, and now I just don't have the money!
"But I make sure that the glasses, plates and utensils are good and clean. I don't want to make no one sick even if it's only a potion to cure them, it's still my responsibility. Then, look at me, very hard times, but they've been terrible since You-Know-Who's rise and none of the powers doing squat of use."
Luke looked around the place thoughtfully as Tyde gave him some numbers; he turned back pulling a card from his inside pocket, handing it over. "I think perhaps I can help you. I've been thinking of expanding into the magical world. You can just use an owl rather than the muggle means, and it should get to the right people. How about two hundred and fifty thousand muggle pounds, and as long as you clean up, I'll keep you as landlord, and I'll have this place brought up to scratch."
"You have yourself a deal, Mr. Evans," he said looking down at the card. "But what about..." he looked over at these regulars.
Luke chuckled. "Screw them, just don't forget to contact my people, tell them who you are and we'll have someone out straight away to secure the deal," he said while the man nodded eagerly. "Right where was I? Oh, yes, I'm looking for Lily and James Potter. Do you happen to know where I could find them? From what I've seen they hang out with some dippy old guy!"
The man nodded with a dark look. "Albus Dumbledore," he said leaning over whispering. "Not the sort you should piss off friend, as some of us have come to realise that he's not as nice as he pretends. But looking at you I don't think you care. I swear Dumbledore is worse than You-Know-Who sometimes, but his fanatics are... well, the Potters weren't always so in his arms, not when they were kids anyway. Why I heard young Lily openly saying he's useless this one time."
Luke nodded thoughtfully. "That's what I'm here to investigate. Something seems off about this, but I think I can trust you."
"Yes, yes, of course sir," he said, offended that he might think otherwise, and more so wanted that cash sum for the pub, and then a job on top of that. "Well, I can't say where Lily and James spend their time, but their daughter Rosette Potter sometimes works part time at her friends' brothers' store. It's called Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes; you can't miss it with those bright and laree colours."
"Umm, great," he said keeping his feelings in check as he hadn't known they had a daughter, and thinking about it; it was odd to presume that he was an only child. "Thanks," he said, letting his neural net scan for the way out when he found it through a back door, and just left, not having touched the free drink.
He left through the back door into a small courtyard with odd brick wall in front of him but he just flicked it, nonchalant and the wall opened into the quiet morning of this strange little magical shopping district of Diagon Alley. There were some people moving about at speeds that were bordering stupid when he just shrugged and walked through.
Luke had to admit it did seem like an interesting place, but not really the type of place he would like to live. He would miss all his technology, and all the messed-up fun of the rise, or as the case likely was, re-rise of conduits.
Sighing, Luke looked around when he had to double take. "Wow that is in your face. I feel like I need some sunglasses just to look at it," he commented while Tyde was giggling. He looked around as the few people were giving him a wide berth, worried, as he was 'to them' talking to himself.
Luke rolled his eyes, seriously before heading over to the odd shop and trying the door, but it was locked. He frowned and thought about blasting the door open but then thought better of causing so much noise. Therefore, he just banged on it hoping someone answered. Looking to his watch it was only eight thirty and the sign said they didn't open until nine, while other shops may open earlier.
However, Luke was fortunate enough that a ginger hair guy came through the store, looking through the glass before unlocking and pulling open just enough to stick his curious head out.
"Umm... can I help you with something, mate?" he asked.
Luke nodded with a polite smile. "Yes, I'm led to understand that a Miss. Rosette Potter works here. I'm an investigator for the International Confederation of Wizards," he lied having heard about these things he didn't know too much but they sounded like they should have investigators.
"Do you have some kind of ID?" he asked. "I can't be too careful, especially with Death Eaters trying to kill or capture her all the time."
Luke frowned at that, as he thought as he didn't have any ID. "Well, okay, you got me there; I'm not even completely sure what the ICW does…. Sounds like a nobody group if you ask me."
The ginger guy frowned, thinking. "Yeah, honestly; I don't think anyone knows what they do. So, who are you then, and what do you want?"
"My name is Luke Evans, and I've coming looking for my family," he said with a shrug when he pulled out a matte grey long barrelled gun from under his left arm hidden in his jacket, activating it, dull blue lights lit up on each side.
Luke pointed the weapon at the young man's head. "I'll suggest you back up now, and let me in because, you seem like a rather nice guy, and I really would feel bad shooting you! After all, your laws don't apply to me because I don't live in your strange little society! That's how things go around here, right?" he asked, forcing the ginger guy back into the shop, turning the key in the door, and locking it, and taking it out.
"Well, yeah," the ginger guy said with a sigh. "I guess you do have a point there if you live with the muggles. We don't seem to care for your laws, so, as far as you're concerned, I suppose, turn around is rather fair play… I guess…"
"Hands on your head mate," Luke said, and the ginger obeyed as Luke led him further into the shop. "Is she here?" he asked as they walked passed the jokes.
"N-no," he said, nervously.
"I'm not here to hurt her," Luke said honestly.
"Drop it!"
Luke looked around as he saw them, two young woman and two other gingers. Both girls had dark red hair, and while one had freckles, and pale skin the other was darker with a light tan and she had emerald eyes; the same as Luke's. However, right now they all had wands pointed at Luke, and he noticed one was trigger happy with anger.
"Hey, I know you shit for brains!" Luke said looking at the youngest guy, shocking him. "You're that prick from last night," he said laughing as they looked confused; he shrugged. "So, Rosette, how old are you?" he asked, interested.
She looked confused, but that prick moved closer to her. "Get your eyes off her! She'll be mine! Dumbledore promised!" he said smugly, but the sickened look of Rosette and her girl friends anger said neither liked that idea, and the ginger twat would sooner die than have Rosette.
Luke snorted, disgusted. "A thing like you, and someone like her, not going to happen shit-lips, now put your fucking twig down or I'm going to shoot ginger here!"
The boy fired, and Luke just battered the spell away and banished him into the far wall where he fell, bloodied and unconscious. "If he's related to you guys, you should think about disowning him."
"Tried that, and it doesn't work out too well," one of the twin gingers said putting his wand away, the girls copying, as they could see from that that they couldn't win. "He doesn't get the message, quite stupid, but Dumbledore and well...?"
"I'm twenty-two, why did you want to know?" Rosette suddenly asked. "Who are you and... that gun, it's like how they described 'his' weapons."
Luke shrugged as he showed good faith in them and placed the gun back in its holster under his jacket. "My name is Luke Evans, are you sure, maybe, maybe you should look at me closer, and perhaps you'll just know who I am!"
Rosette did move, just a few steps looking Luke over, confused and a little scared, staring into his eyes. "Y-you're... are we related or something? Your eyes look just like mine?" she said confusedly.
"I only just found out about you," Luke said sadly. "I'm so sorry, I didn't come sooner, and then I could have taken you from all of this, and protected you."
"Taken me…? Where would you take me, and why?" Rosette asked, tilting her head to one side in a cute way.
"You're apparently my twin sister," he answered causing them to all gasp.
"But I don't have a brother," she answered slowly.
Luke shook his head, looking away for a moment, in thought, and to hide the flash of anger. "Dumbledore got rid of me because I'm supposed to bring your world down. I was dumped on our aunt and uncle's doorstep shortly after Voldemort's end... well the first end. Dumbledore was too weak to murder me, so he wanted them too, though they may have tried; they likely bottled out of going that far, and so, I survived.
"Irony has just come home," Luke said laughing, amused as he looked his sister over. "I am Luke Evans, billionaire tech-genius, and I'm going to get justice against these filthy people, and any worshiper of Dumbledore or Voldemort best pray to whatever they believe in that I'm in a good mood when I come calling!"
"B-but mum and dad wouldn't..." Rosette trailed off when her girl friend took her hand, squeezing it reassuringly. "G-Geanie; they would, wouldn't they...? If Dumbledore told them too; they would, wouldn't they?!"
Geanie nodded her head, looking sadly at her friend. "I'm sorry Rosie, but you know Dumbledore; he doesn't care about other people as long as he is 'right' he'll do anything, like trying to give you to Ron!" she hissed out the last glaring at the ginger boy on the floor.
"Come with me if you want payback!" Luke said starling them as he offered his hand out; then the over, startling them further. "Hey, your friend can come too," he added shrugging.
"We can't, there's this prophecy, I have to defeat Voldemort," Rosette replied, downcast.
"Prophecy?" he asked, curious.
She nodded her head, taking a deep breath. "The time comes when the Dark Lord shall fall to a child," she recited. "However, in time he shall returned, but with the blessing of unbound love the children shall be set free and fall..." she said sadly. "Nobody knows the rest of the prophecy, but you heard that," she finished.
Luke frowned, surprised at this. "Tyde… yeah; this is stupid, obviously Dumbledore does know the rest," he said over the neural comm. confusing the others. "Yeah, my thoughts exactly," he agreed. "If the rest of the prophecy mentions his defeat, he wouldn't want anyone knowing about that… hearing the rest, it might not even be about Voldemort!"
"What do you mean?" Rosette interrupted, but the others looked just as curious. "You think, Dumbledore didn't tell us the rest because it says I'll defeat him too… or as well… or you will, or we both will or something? And who are you talking too and how?"
"Oh," Luke said sheepishly tapping the thing on his head. "It's a high-tech neural computer and communication system. It's supposed to work on thoughts, but it's only a prototype so isn't working fully yet. And yes, Dumbledore cannot be trusted, so let me ask any of you, do you have reason to trust him?"
"Not really," Geanie answered for them as the others just shook their heads. "I mean this crap about him giving Rose to Ron, just makes me want to kill him," she said trying to hide how much it angered her, but only calmed with Rosette squeezing her hand and smiling at her in a sweet, lovey way. "And Lily and James don't act right sometimes, and now this, and that Armoured Skill, guy in that muggle armour stuff, and everyone who saw him said he used magic too."
"I must admit it would have been fun to watch the muggles chase the Order away!" Rosette said with a small smile. "Not to mention, Ron getting blast away again, as seeing him getting beaten up will never get old. I don't even care whether this does mean that the muggles actually-know about us. I mean it's them getting hurt just as much as us, and they have every right to do what they want to protect themselves."
"Dumbledore just doesn't like being out matched by muggles," one of the twins said. "You guys should get out of here while you have a chance – it's alright for us. No one cares about having us as poster brats, so we'll be safer than most."
"But what about-?" Rosette said but trailed off when Luke pulled out his gun and they watched in shock as it started shifting, dismantling, and reforming until it was a short sword with blue light strips down each side. They just stared at it in awe, and the twins were even drooling.
"I don't think that's how you say 'awesome let's go', now is it?" Luke asked, amused.
"Wow, did you create that?" Rosette asked and he nodded and lead the girls back to the front door of the shop. "Wait, did you create that Skill armour?" she asked eagerly.
Luke laughed as he walked to the shop door, and unlocked it, he left the key in the door. He looked back as they watched him as the sword turned back into a gun and he put it away.
"You are him," Rosette answered for herself as she dragged her friend along and followed Luke out of the shop with a simple 'later' to the twins.
"So, what's the deal with these baggy robe's you people wear?" Luke asked, looking them over to see the baggy robes hiding their tight little bodies beneath.
"It's just a magical world thing," Rosette said shrugging as she and Geanie walked either side of him. "I don't get it either. Muggle girls get to wear all sorts of cute outfits, but not us… but do you think we should be acting more emotional with the whole long-lost brother, sister thing?"
"Probably," Luke agreed, shrugging. "It's just some shock, give it time... you may have, well, never mind, I'll get you both informed ASAP and then well, I'll get you both all the cute outfits you might need. I could also use a couple extra mage to experiment on… I mean with."
"Experiment...?" Geanie asked, worried.
Luke looked to her laughing. "Don't worry, I mean for powerframe tests, and mana-tech research."
"What are they?" Rosette asked, almost as baffled as Geanie.
Luke grinned. "The armour is a powerframe, and mana-tech is machines we're trying to create that could replicate magical abilities, like conjuring. It could revolutionise the world… maybe even feed the world..."
"Sounds… interesting," Rosette understated nervously with a smile when they stopped looking more nervous, and Luke could only look forward with a groan.
"Oh, why couldn't they just give whatever it is a rest?" Luke had to ask, and they both nodded in agreement as they were confronted by a large group of people, and Dumbledore was in the lead with both Rosette and Geanie's parents. Luke looked around to see people fleeing into shops, and clearing out, obviously afraid.
"Tyde... good," he said but didn't elaborate. He looked to the old man and his minions. "Excuse me, you happen to be standing in the way and blocking the street, haven't you got any manners?"
The old man ignored him and turned his twinkling, amused eyes to Rosette and Geanie. However, he saw what was starting so pulled a spare neural unit from his pocket and placed it on Geanie's head before she could react and pulled off his, placing it on Rosette.
"There; they will keep the old bastard from raping your memories!" Luke said in amusement, as the old man went from kind and happy to angry in a brief flash before looking to Luke, but after years of practicing with his own mental fortitude, Luke could feel the attack, but brushed it off, quite amused.
"Now, I'll ask you all again to step aside!" Luke demanded, annoyed with them.
"You're Luke Evans, aren't you?" a young dark-skinned woman spoke up, getting to it before Dumbledore could respond once his 'happy' smile returned. However, the grimaces from Lily and James saw them comprehending, and though Dumbledore hid it well he was furious now.
Luke grinned with a nod. "That's me, but sorry, I can't give you an autograph or anything. I'm a little busy at the moment being awesome, unless you can convince the old man to get out of the way, this isn't going to end too well," Luke said with some mock just because he could.
"Hermione-...!" Rosette reprimanded. "Get your little round butt over here now!" she demanded. "What are you doing over there with the crazies?"
"Oh, I just happened to be around when a spy or something hidden in the alley told them of Mr. Evans," Hermione answered, shrugging sheepishly. "If I knew you weren't in trouble, I wouldn't have come!" she said quickly dashing away from the old man's side, and standing with her friends.
"Miss. Granger, what do you think you're doing betraying the light?!" Dumbledore demanded in frustration. "I knew I should have placed stronger controls on a three of you, seeing you and your friends believing you know what is better for the wizarding world than me!"
"I don't really care about the magical world," Hermione said, shrugging. "If it weren't for the fact, I doubt you would have let us, I would have left with my friends and disappeared into the muggle world away from you morons! We're all legal adults so can go wherever we want."
"But we have to protect Miss. Potter, even if it's from herself!" he retorted as if that gave him any right.
"L-Luke," Rosette interrupted just then. "Umm... this girl is speaking in my head and said something about pissed off little sisters, and a state-of-the-art jet?"
"Oh, well that explains that," he said pointing up just as a matte white jet with double cockpit and glowing lime green markings, as it blazed passed overhead with a swish of wind pulling round, and flying back where it hovered above Luke and company with twin guns popping out from under, tracking and trailing on Dumbledore and his minions.
"Hey big brother, we're here to save the day!" Thea said happily as a holographic window appeared showing her just behind her sister in comfortable confines wearing a blue flight suit at the weapons controls while her sister was wearing red at the helm. "Hey, stupid old man and stupid old man worshipers, back away from our big brother, and new big sisters or you are so splattered!" she said rather childishly, and Luke wondered whether he pampered them too much.
"I'm surprised you girls didn't consider this a super emergency," Luke said laughing, amused.
"Umm... Stella still wouldn't let us," she said sheepishly. "But she gave us the key to this. Isn't it awesome? Oh, Tyde says that she has a car waiting outside Diagon Alley on the human side, waiting to pick you guys up."
"Well, okay, but hang tight girls," he said turning his attention back to Dumbledore as he was losing his cool, and then turned to his 'parents'. "Come with me, and I'll have my doctors remove all of the magic you've been subjected too. Please. I can see it… I can save you no matter how much I may want to hate you, I can't, not if you were stolen from us! Please… if not for me, but for Rosette… do it for her, you love her, right?!"
They both showed signs of being tempted as they slowly nodded when Dumbledore looked straight into their eyes, they both moved back, looking back up to the jet terrified, and shaking their heads.
"So, it's true, you are doing something to mum and dad, and you made them get rid of my brother!" Rosette roared out enraged. "I'm going to get you myself old man, and I'll put you away forever, but you already knew that didn't you, that's what the rest of the prophecy said? It wasn't even just about me, was it? It was about Luke too, him fighting you and helping me, wasn't it?!"
"Now, see here Miss. Potter!" Dumbledore said, starting to sound panicky. "What I do, I do for the Greater Good of the Magical World. Luke is destined to destroy us all, and I couldn't let that happen!"
"No, but you did, ironic isn't it!" she replied, disgusted, turning to his minions. "Don't you see what he's done? He's a nutcase!" she cried out, angry tears in her eyes. "You don't have to follow him anymore, turn on him! He needs to be stopped!"
"Shut up Rosette, you stupid little girl, what do you know?!" Rosette was interrupted, shocked by the plump Mrs. Weasley in her own anger. "Albus Dumbledore is a great wizard, and you betray him for this stupid boy?!"
"Yes, I'll turn on all of you for my brother!" Rosette agreed coldly. "My brother had done nothing wrong, and you piece's of shit think that because of some crack-pot fortunate; that that is okay?!"
Luke laughed, amused while they looked on, surprised. "That's a good path to walk," he said smirkingly. "That's the path to the Land of Awesome! Those on the path to awesome will never quite reach it, but they are all greater human beings than Albus Dumbledore will ever be, wizard or whatever!" he continued with a hint of mock, and plenty of coolness. "Now get out of our way, we're leaving!" he finished about to lead the way, but paused as the woman aimed her wand.
"You're not leaving with my daughter or the Girl-Who-Lived!" she hissed out enraged. "She belongs to us, and someday she'll marry my son!"
"No, I won't marry that worthless filth!" Rosette ground out; her eyes alight with her rage. "I hate him, and I hate you, and Geanie's not staying either you self-centred bitch, who's so big on her own rights as a strong and independent woman, but wants us to be things for pathetic excuses for men.
"News flash, Molly Weasley. I belong to Geanie, and she me, get that bitch? I like girls, Geanie likes girls! And even more, we've been secretly together for years and even your great old man didn't know."
Luke looked; the old man was just as surprised as the rest of them, which went to show that sort of thing was never on his mind. It was quite amusing-actually. Luke looked to Rosette as Geanie slid her hand into hers, and they linked fingers, pleased for something more interesting; he wondered what next.
"No, I'm having none of this!" Mrs. Weasley screamed out and went to fire a spell at Rosette when she stopped and fell back onto her arse as a single shot hit down next to her feet.
"Did you forget we're here you ignorant woman?!" Thea asked as Mrs. Weasley looked up at the vessel in fear. "Now out of the way or we shall open fire, and it will get messy, and I would hate to do that to the street cleaners!"
The Order minions all seemed to look to Dumbledore as one for instruction, and he had no choice but to nod reluctantly. Luke smirked as they all moved and he drew his gun leading Geanie, Rosette, and Hermione on. The minions and their old man stayed back, though looked trigger happy and it was easy to slip into the Leaky Cauldron pub and slip through fast, out the door into muggle London.
Outside a huge six wheeled dark blue tank of a monstrous vehicle stood, waiting, and no driver with massive wheels and high up with Nergal logo on the side. The vehicle was getting lots of looks from the humans. Luke opened the back door to the huge inside where eight could sit, four either side, facing each other with another four further back.
The girls climbed in and buckled up while Luke got in front behind the steering wheel, buckling up just as Thea and Haley blazed off across the sky overhead earning even more wide-eyed looks. However, just as the engine started Dumbledore and minions stormed out of the pub only for Luke to give him the finger as he pulled out into traffic blazing down the road.
"That was fun, huh?" he asked sounding amused enough for the four of them.
"More informative than fun," Hermione commented while breathing rather deeply from rushing, after a moment of no one else going too.
Luke shrugged, not bothered. "So, Hermione, how are you with being a test subject? I don't want to be rude or anything, but you kind of don't look all that well now everything's calmed down, and we didn't exactly run, and you're out of breath. And I have this kind of sister who would be happy to have the chance to use some of her new toys on you, if you would like a 'check-up'?"
"Well, I haven't been feeling really good over the past few weeks," Hermione said thoughtfully. "I've been to see some medi-witches, but they said nothing is wrong with me, and that I'm just making stuff up, but I know I get out of breath rather quickly, and sure, I'm not the athletic type, but getting out of breath like this from just walking, at my age can't be normal, can it?!"
"Well, Stella's more of the doctor than me, but that doesn't sound normal," Luke agreed thoughtfully. "But our medical technology is pretty-new, and state of the art… I'm sure you'll have fun. Stella is great company… a little too flirty, and does swing both ways, so, watch ya-self," he said while Hermione's dark cheeks lit up as Geanie and Rosette giggled, and she pouted before he continued. "Anyway, we have some pretty good at diagnostics-tech," he answered. "But I should warn you that some of it is pretty-evasive, but if you have a problem, I'll assure you Stella… Doctor Cline, will find it, and find a way to undo it – or treat it. It might be something as simple as a spell you fell afoul of or something, and the effects could be causing you some raspatory issues; I don't know?"
"How evasive is this stuff?" Hermione asked nervously after she nodded along as she had wondered whether it was a spell she hadn't noticed, and couldn't detect.
Luke laughed darkly which caused all three to grimace. "Oh, there's this one thing that goes up your rear passageway while carrying a numbing agent to pull open as far as the muscles can go, which is different for each person, but surprisingly wide... well according to 'her', but I wouldn't know, and don't want to really, then this other thing..."
"T-t-thing?" she asked, panicked. "You don't even know what it's called or for...?"
"I'm not a medical doctor," he interrupted laughing. "Anyway, she'll start off slow and easy, scans, blood tests, skin biopsies, and stuff like that, and work her way up to the creepy things. It might be just down to blood tests, or at least scans for magic, if it's a cast. Anyway, at worse you're looking at a bone marrow biopsy. You look a little green around the gills, already so I can assume it won't take long to find something."
"You are looking worse, Hermione," Geanie said looking her over worried. "And no matter what you want to get better right? So don't worry, Hermione, we'll stay with you through everything, right Rosie?"
"Of course, we will," Rosette answered. "I mean we've wanted to sneak you out to a muggle hospital because we've been so worried about you. It could be some lasting effect or something we've never heard of before, who knows until you're properly tested?"
"So, this thing, you're joking right?" Hermione asked as they pulled into a huge parking garage that led underground.
Luke looked at her in the large rear-view mirror, smirking. "No, I was kind of crept out when she showed me. I thought it was some kind of freaky sex toy," he said, amused as they blushed. "But she won't use it, but heck knows what it's for. I've never got around to asking. I think she just wants to scare people, and she had almost gotten poor Haley to let her test it on her. She's too trusting of Stella sometimes. I was just messing with your head, as those were the lines, she gave me."
"Whoa, watch out!" Rosette said as they drove towards, a brick wall in an empty part of the garage only to slide through the wall, and Luke to let go of the steering wheel with the vehicle driving itself through a wide tunnel as they slowly circled down with the road.
"Trust me," Luke said, amused. "Anyway, Geanie… weird name for someone who's brother is called Ron."
"Oh, yeah, Rose said that when we first met, too," she said sheepishly. "I was apparently a wish… well, not a real magical wish or anything," she said and added as Luke looked at her in the mirror strangely. "Apparently, some free Death Eater attacked mum while she was pregnant with me. I was cut out in June when I wasn't due till August. I have six older brothers, and dad was looking forward to having a daughter, and never expected to ever have a girl, as he thinks the male Weasley bloodline was cursed… but seven is a magical number…"
"So are three and five," Luke piped in as they continued driving deeper underground.
Geanie smiled and shrugged. "Seven is apparently the most magical, but it's likely just superstition. Anyway, mum was in critical condition herself, but dad stayed with me. He said he wished for me to survive every single minute, and named me Geanie. I think he meant to spell it the correct way, like J-E-A-N-I-E, Jeanie with a J, but was thinking of the wishing kind of genie, which doesn't have the A, but he said he filled out the papers on it before someone pointed out his error. Said I granted him his wish though, but mum was apparently furious he named me without discussing it with her. Mum wanted to call me Ginevra… I'm not sure which is worst, but you can call me Gean, if you want? But Rosie loves to call me Geanie…"
"Well, I won't turn that into a dirty joke," Luke promised.
Rosette giggled while looking smug. "But that joke is too amusing."
"Rosie!" Geanie complained.
"Anyway, Luke, where are we going?" Rose asked. "And how much further? I mean, who has a secret underground swirly road, anyway?"
"It will only get so much better from here!" he replied with a cheeky shrug, as they drove out of another 'wall' and into a huge underground 'garage' where several state-of-the-art jets, helicopters, cars, tanks, and other ATVs and motor cycles stood connected to computers and cables and wires, and things they couldn't even guess at, as light screens with readings and writings floated around the systems.
Thea and Haley's jet had landed a little way from where their vehicle pulled to a stop; both girls already out in their tight flight suits waiting for them, while several men were securing the jet and checking over holographic screens or tablet PC's. There were more men and women all over the facility in work clothes, some wearing safety equipment as they worked at their stations, or on vehicles. There were even more rooms and buildings inside with more workers, engineers, and mechanics seen through some, and some of them had frosted glass, so they couldn't see in.
"Welcome to my creation… welcome to Nergal...!" Luke said smugly as they looked around the garage/labs in awe as they pulled to a stop at a docking bay, and a young man quickly plugged the vehicle back in while the right-side doors opened, and Luke hoped out while two young women in dirty overalls smilingly offered hands to help the three girls down from the back, as it was fairly high up.
It was with that that Thea had rushed over and was hugging the three new girls tightly while they looked confused.
"Wow, Big Brother!" Thea sang in delight. "Thank you so much for bringing three new Big Sisters home with you! Can we keep them?!"
Luke laughed while the young women looked confused. "These are my little sisters, Thea, and Haley… a lot has happened to us, so, we can talk about that once the three of you are settled in. But first, let's go and visit Stella, and get Hermione some proper medical attention, okay?"
"Of course!" Rose agreed as she held both Geanie's and Thea's hands as Thea eagerly led the way with Luke, Haley, and Hermione following them.
"She's sixteen, you don't have to baby her!" Luke called out but got three raspberries and giggling for his troubles.
to be continued...