As The Wind Abates

by DingusMacGoo

An immortal Harry Potter's journey into the future. More details to come.

1. Chapter 1

As the wind abates

AN: Just a heads up, this is going to be a significant departure from canon for both Mass Effect and Harry Potter. If you're a purist for either franchise, then I recommend reading another of this site's amazing fan fiction offerings.

As with all of my work, please feel free to rip it to shreds, just don't be surprised if I clap back. This is a work of fiction, I do it for my own amusement and to share with others, I am beholden to absolutely nobody, and feel no need to impress anyone.

This will contain violence and harsh language at least, giving it an M for safety's sake.

Also I own neither Mass Effect nor Harry Potter (JKR is a dumb terf asshole who needs to shut the fuck up) and I do not claim otherwise. I'm using their characters, settings and plots for my own amusement and not financial gain.

Also this is a bigass prologue chapter, subsequent chapters will definitely not be nearly this long.

Chapter 1

2098

Hermione Granger lay in an advanced, lavish hospital bed, her withered hand grasping the still young, strong hand of her best friend as she looked up into his bright, vivid, watery eyes. She had almost reached the end of a long, and productive life. She had lived and loved deeply, and was leaving this life with only one true regret. She was leaving her best friend alone in this world. He had made a valiant effort to hide his sorrow from her, but a century of friendship had taught her to see through it. She squeezed his hand lightly as her breathing became more labored.

"It's time I think..." Hermione rasped. Harry let out a sob and lurched forward gathering her in his arms as best he could, she patted his back.

"I'm scared.." Harry said to her. Hermione smiled.

"I'm the one who's dying.." Hermione joked, getting a weak laugh out of him.

"You know what I mean." Harry said, wiping his eyes. Hermione nodded.

"I know, Harry. God I wish I didn't have to leave you. I wish I knew what fate had planned for you.. It's cruel what his world has done to you. Almost as cruel as what I'm about to ask you.." Hermione said.

"Anything, Hermione. Anything you want..." Harry said.

"Keep going, Harry. Don't give in to despair. If you must live forever.. love forever. Please.." Hermione said, desperation in her eyes as she paled. Harry nodded.

"Of course, as long as I can." Harry said. It killed him to promise that because they both knew he probably couldn't keep it.

"Oh... Harry.. It's... I feel... It's beautiful..." Hermione said, before closing her eyes, and releasing her final breath.

The old familiar agony stabbed through him, like a white hot dagger in his heart. He'd watched so many friends and loved ones die, but losing Hermione was easily the worst. Hermione had been with him since the beginning, and had never left his side. Even Ron on several occasions had abandoned them, during and even after the Voldemort war, but Hermione had never wavered. And now she was gone forever.

He clutched her, trying to drown out the long tone coming from her vital sign monitors that indicated a flat line, and wept. Not only for her, but also for himself. His last friend was gone, and now he was well and truly alone. Orderlies came by but left when they saw the savior of Earth weeping over his friend's body, they knew better than to interrupt him. There would be time later, when he'd had a chance to say goodbye, for them to collect her.

Harry did not go into hysterics. Hermione's death had been a long time coming, he'd had time to come to terms with it, and its implications, and this had hardly been the first friend's body he'd wept over, so after a few minutes he took her rapidly cooling hand and squeezed it one last time.

"Goodbye Hermione. I promise I'll try." Harry said, before standing, and leaving the room. Nobody who saw him said a word to him. There weren't words. They knew why he'd been there, and knew that there was nothing that could heal that kind of heartbreak but time. Harry barely noticed himself leaving the hospital and walking down the road, forgetting his skycar in the hospital garage. Its automatic driving system would return it to his home later. Harry had no need for expediency any more. There was no longer anything for him to run towards or away from. All that awaited him was endless, cold, loneliness.

When he arrived at his home, after three hours of walking on autopilot, he hadn't bothered to undress before collapsing into his bed. He was exhausted, physically and mentally, and he was thankful for that because it was the only thing that would allow him to sleep. He'd barely closed his eyes before the world became a shroud of black nothingness.

He found himself in the Forbidden Forest, sitting on a fallen log. He sighed in resignation as he knew what this indicated. He didn't know why she bothered, he never blamed her, both of their hands were restrained by the cruel chains of fate. If nothing else he simply didn't have the energy to console her, but he would, as he always did.

"Don't say it. You know I don't blame you." Harry said as he heard a twig snap in the woods out in front of him. He looked up to see the pretty face of another of his old friends, twisted in misery, tears streaming down her eyes.

"I'm sorry, Master. I'm so so sorry..." Death said, running towards him and gathering him into her arms. He held her, crying into her robes as much as she was into his shirt.

"Didn't I ask you to call me Harry?" Harry asked after eventually composing himself. The joke fell on deaf ears though.

"It isn't fair.." Death whined. Harry looked at her sternly.

"We both know that you have no say in it. You never have. They all had to go some time." Harry said, stroking her long, smooth, black hair. She looked up at him, still miserable.

"I know that, Master, but They won't let me take you yet. You've lived so long, and you still have so much farther to go..." Death said. Harry expertly stifled the bubble of misery that threatened to escape him at her declaration. He knew not what lay before him, except that it would be a very very long time before he would find the rest he so desperately craved.

"Correct. They won't let you. I know if it were up to you I'd have gone years ago." Harry said, reassuring her. She sighed.

"I just. I'm so sorry master. I just want you to know where she is now, she is at peace and surrounded by love." Death said. Harry nodded.

"I never had any doubt." Harry said, kissing the top of her head affectionately. It never failed to strike him as odd that Death, an entity who existed specifically to ease the transitions of mortals from life to death, so often needed Harry to soothe her. One of life's many ironies. He only wish Fate had the balls to make an appearance so he could kick them on both of their behalf.

Harry and Death chatted for a while, mostly about nothing important, and the time proved therapeutic for both of them. Death knew intellectually that Harry held her no ill will for taking everyone he loved from him, and Harry realized that not all of his friends are truly out of reach. Death would for better or worse, be a constant companion for him throughout his life.

"Have you put any thought into what you'll do now?" Death asked. Harry pondered.

"Actually I have. here's really nothing left tying me to Earth any more. The postwar reforms have taken well enough, people are learning to walk on their own two feet again, I think if I stick around trying to solve their problems for them for too much longer they will be lost when your brother decides to pull the knife out of my back." Harry said. Death winced, but didn't' remark at the last bit, it was a bitterness she too felt.

"So space then?" Death asked. Harry nodded.

"There's a lot of new things out there to explore, now that they're putting FTL drives on civilian ships, it'd be nice to go out there and see things nobody's seen before. Maybe meet some aliens, perhaps even the Protheans if they still exist. They're doing crazy shit with that Element Zero or whatever it's called." Harry said. Death took a breath to comment but Harry stopped her.

"No spoilers!" Harry said with a grin. Death smiled for the first time and nodded, wiping at her eyes.

"Can you tell Hermione and everyone else that I love them and that I'm going to move on and see what's out there? I know you can't send me messages from them and I refuse to put them through a resurrection stone summoning.

"Of course, my Master. Please call me if you're lonely." Death said, hugging him. Harry squeezed her back

"You know I will." Harry said. He woke up, feeling dreadful still, but a little more at peace. Talking about things had always helped but the problem was his only remaining friend was Death. He'd tried reaching out to people around him, or even the descendants of his friends, but he was a living myth and most of them refused to see him beyond that. They couldn't really, it was human nature and he didn't hold it against them, but still he couldn't stand being worshiped.

He awoke and showered, before making himself a light breakfast before bringing up the extranet and looking into acquiring a FTL vessel. He frowned as he read into the complexity of space craft piloting. He was a skilled driver of both terrestrial vehicles and skycars, but anything that involved leaving the atmosphere was exponentially more complicated. He would require extensive training, and going through pilot training was not something he felt he could do easily given who he is.

He was scrolling through online training courses before he stopped at an advertisement. It was a recruitment ad for the Navy. That brought up a number of possibilities. Every day civilians would stop and worship him for what he had done for them, but he remembered from his many experiences working in militias, armies, and rebel groups over the last century that superior officers don't give a shit who you are, the only thing that mattered was what you could do. He grinned, and looked up at the screen hovering over his desk.

"Extranet. Play 'In the Navy' by The Village People please." Harry said, and smiled as the song started playing.

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2103

Five years later...

"First Lieutenant Ron Granger!" A man in a formal Navy uniform bellowed.

"Yes sir!" Harry yelled stepping forward and standing at attention. The officer before him pinned a new insignia on his uniform.

"Congratulations, Lieutenant Commander. Report to Admiral Winston for your new assignment." The offier said

"Yes sir, thank you sir!" Harry said, saluting him. Once it was returned, he turned around limped through the door.

"Congratulations, Ron!" A cheeky red-headed woman who stood a few inches taller than him said with a grin.

"Thanks, Ensign Weasley." Harry said. He took a step and then winced as searing pain shot through his right leg, causing him to fall to his knees.

"Woah there, LC. You ok? I told you you shouldn't be up and about this soon after a crash like that.

"You sound just like your great great grandmother." Harry said with a grin, causing the woman to look at him scandalized

. "Keep it down, Harry, you're the one that insisted on the fake identity." Ensign Weasley said. Harry grinned at her.

"This is the command building, Karen, they all know who I am." Harry said, causing the young woman to blush.

"Still, you never know when a civvie or contractor will be in here." Karen said. Harry laughed.

"Yes Mom." Harry said, earning a half-hearted punch to the arm.

"Oi, Assaulting a superior officer, that's a week in the brig!" Harry joked. Karen rolled her eyes and grinned wryly at him.

"If you're going to be mean you're not invited to the wedding any more." Karen said.

"Oh we wouldn't want to disappoint Sherman, or Shelly... Shiloh?" Harry said looking confused. Karen laughed at him

"It's Shepard. Ian Shepard, you know that!" Karen laughed Harry grinned.

"Shame he's so cool headed, it's so much fun winding you up." Harry said, allowing Karen to help him over to a bench.

"So since you're so worried about me, why don't you show me if you remember what I taught you?" Harry said, pointing at his leg. Karen nodded and reached into her coat withdrawing her wand. She waved it and with a shaky sounding "episkey" his leg spasmed but immediately felt much better.

"I did it!" Karen said with a grin. Harry nodded and smiled.

"I'll be shipping out soon, pretty soon I'm going to be assigned to the Merrimack, Captain Donovan has had her eye on me for years now." Harry said. Karen frowned.

"That sucks. How am I gonna learn how to be Queen shit of Fuck Mountain?" Karen said with a grin.

"I'll keep teaching you what I can over the extranet. You should consider going to magic school, though." Harry said.

"Fuck that, I'm a military brat. They teach us enough magic in basic there to make us useful." Karen said

"And yet you still need my help for a simple episkey..." Harry said looking at her skeptically. Karen grinned

"I said magic class was useful, not exciting." Karen said. Harry nodded, the teachers were notoriously dry.

"My kingdom for a Neville Longbottom or Daphne Greengrass." Harry said.

"So do you think we're going to find aliens out there?" Karen asked. Harry shrugged

"Statistically the likelihood of there being no other intelligent life out there is absurdly low. There are millions of solar systems similar to ours, not to mention the rules of life may be completely different in other environments. The big wigs might already know that, it is curious that we've been increasing our naval expenditure despite having been at peace for decades now." Harry said.

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2104

One year later..

"By the power vested in me by the United Earth alliance, I pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride." Harry said, struggling not to cry as his dear friend, and descendant of his best friends effectively ended her branch of the Weasley line by taking the name Karen Shepard. It was bittersweet, but he promised himself to keep the legacy of his favorite clan of redheads alive.

The assembled people cheered, mostly comprised of Karen's military colleagues. The newly married couple made the rounds accepting congratulations from all of their friends and family, and when Karen was dragged away with some of her friends for drinks, Harry took the opportunity to pull Ian aside for a private conversation.

"Congratulations, Shepard." Harry said sincerely, however his smile didn't quite reach his eyes, and Ian's instincts were screaming danger at him.

"Uh thanks, Commander Granger." Shepard said nervously. Harry's smile evaporated.

"Do you know who I really am?" Harry asked. Ian frowned.

"I thought I did..." Ian said. Harry waved his wand, canceling the glamour that hid his scar, causing the younger man to gasp.

"I'm surprised she never told you. Karen knows. She's the descendant of my two best friends, you see. That makes her practically family to me..." Harry said, trailing off. Shepard gulped.

"I cannot stress how.. upset... I'd be if I found out you hurt that girl. Starting tomorrow, her uniform will say Shepard, but in my eyes she'll always be a Weasley. You're aware the lengths I've gone to protect the people that bore that name, I gather?" Harry said seriously. Ian was struggling to keep control of his bladder at this. There had been a time where he'd viewed Harry as a potential romantic rival, but that image quickly turned into a polite but protective older brother figure.. Now he viewed Harry as the personification imminent death, an immortal nigh omnipotent wizard with a body count measured with six digits.

"Y-yes sir..." Ian said, trembling. Harry smiled, this time sincerely.

"Relax, Ian. You're a good man, so long as you keep being one you have nothing to fear from me." Harry said, clapping him on the shoulder. Harry looked up to see an irate Karen glaring at him. There was a time when a Weasley woman looking at him that way would reduce him to a gibbering, terrified mess. That time had passed. Harry grinned and gave her a thumbs-up.

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2110

Six years later..

"Congratulations, Karen! He's beautiful!" Harry said, smiling down at the red-headed bundle in his arms.

"Thanks!" Karen said, still exhausted even the day after having given birth to her first child.

"You guys decide on a name? It's Harry isn't it.." Harry said with a grin.

"Alex, after Ian's grandfather." Karen said after rolling her eyes.

"No accounting for taste, Alex." Harry said. Alex let out a cute noise and then snuggled into Harry's arms.

"Alexander James Shepard." Karen said. Harry looked up at her in shock She smiled at him.

"Oh... I... Thank you Karen." Harry said, his eyes watering. She nodded. The moment was ruined when a loud snore erupted from the couch adjacent to Karen's hospital bed. Harry laughed and looked over at a sleeping Ian.

"He can still sleep through an earthquake, can't he?" Harry asked. Karen rolled her eyes and nodded.

"Alex crying wakes him up quickly enough." Karen said, reaching out for her baby, which Harry relinquished immediately.

"Of course he does, Ian's going to be an amazing dad. Don't tell him I said that." Harry said.

"I'll be sure to. Are you still going through with it?" Karen asked. Harry nodded.

"I'm getting restless. I want to explore, I originally joined the Navy to do that when Hermione died. Now the Navy spends more time policing our own solar system, rarely trying to explore outside of it." Harry said.

"I suppose you've done your service, twelve years in this Navy and 26 during the war." Karen said. Harry shrugged.

"I'll be considered on reserve indefinitely. Now I can actually pilot that ship of mine." Harry said with a grin. Since Hermione's death he'd used a good amount of his considerable fortune investing in space ship research. In lieu of dividends he requested the latest model available when he decided to go on his little exploration mission.

"You sure about the VI crew?" Karen asked. Harry nodded.

"Programmed them myself." Harry said

"You're going to come back, right?" Karen asked, sounding vulnerable. Harry smiled at her.

"Of course. I don't want Ian to feel too safe." Harry said, nimbly dodging the thrown paper cup that had earned him.

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2111

One year later...

Harry groaned, struggling past the ungodly migraine that was torturing him to open his eyes and immediately regretted it.

"Granger? Are you with us?" a soft female voice asked him. Harry opened his eyes the rest of the way and when his eyes focused he saw he was laying in a hospital bed, on starship he was not familiar with. He was alone in the room, and thought he'd hallucinated the voice.

"Where am I?" He asked, seemingly nobody.

"You're on the MSV Donegan, in isolation. We found you floating in space, you have been severely contaminated with Element Zero." The voice said.

"What?! You should have left me!" Harry said.

"We saved your life!" The voice said, offended

"And how many of you are dealing with eezo poisoning now because of that?" Harry asked. The silence gave him the answer he was expecting.

"I appreciate the effort, really, but one person dying in the vacuum is always preferable to five dying trying to save him." Harry demanded.

"I couldn't let you die, Harry!" The voice said, causing him to freeze.

"Karen?" Harry asked.

"Um... hi?" Karen said.

"Karen what the fuck! You have a child at home!" Harry demanded.

"He's actually aboard, so is Ian." Karen said

"Karen Molly Weasley if any of you are exposed I swear I'll summon your asses with the stone every day for the rest of my life to torment you." Harry said.

"None of us were exposed. Ian, the baby and I are safe." Karen said.

"Well thank God for that, now what you're going to do is drop me off at the nearest inhabitable planet and get your ass back to Sol to decontaminate this ship." Harry said.

"I'm not leaving you to die!" Karen said. Harry just stared at the camera he'd discovered above the door.

"Oh! Right... Shit." Karen said

"Shit indeed. Karen... is anyone sick?" Harry asked quietly.

"Two are showing signs of minor eezo poisoning." Karen said.

"You know what to do for them right?" Harry asked.

"Of course, we keep an ample supply of the purging draught on board." Karen said.

"Good girl." Harry said, idly scratching his arm, groaning when he felt the lump under his skin.

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2113

Two years later.

"We can't explain it, Mr. Granger. At the risk of sounding insensitive, you should be dead. Your blood still carries absurdly toxic amounts of element zero. Do you have any other symptoms?" A doctor asked. Harry shrugged.

"The vomiting stopped yesterday, I haven't lost any hair. The tumors appear to be shrinking." Harry said.

"That's because they're metastasizing. You should be in agony right now." The doctor said

"No more so than normal." Harry said with a wry grin. He stood from the examination table, and suddenly the world spun, and before the doctor could intervene, he was already falling towards the floor. Before he could hit he was enveloped in a bright slightly blue light, and his body stopped inches before hitting the ground.

"Huh, that's new." Harry said.

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2120

Seven years later

"So there's ten more?" Harry asked a tall blonde woman in a lab coat who nodded somberly.

"The youngest is nine." The woman said.

"NINE?! How the fuck was a nine year old exposed to that much eezo?" Harry asked. The woman refused to look him in the eye.

"They're doing it again..." Harry stated. She nodded sheepishly.

"And you people wonder why I keep disappearing out into space. Where are they?" Harry demanded

"Berkeley Medical in the states." The woman said.

"Dr. Morrison were you in any way involved in this?" Harry asked, his face devoid of expression, his cold green eyes burrowing into her.

"No! Not at all!" Morrison said, terror apparent in her expression, but Harry could tell she was being truthful.

"I'm glad. I'm sorry, I just... I know what it's like to be a child soldier and a human weapon. The people who are responsible for this... Well the less you know the better." Harry said, storming out of the woman's office without a second thought.

The next day, the quarantine wing of Berkeley medical was swarming with government agents, meticulously examining what could only be described as a blood bath. Broken corpses wearing lab coats were strewn about the inside of the building, furniture and equipment lay in ruins and there were angry black scorch marks all over the walls. What was worse is that the ten children who had been there were all gone without a trace. They questioned Dr. Morrison thoroughly, but she revealed nothing, her fear of Harry far outstripping that of her interrogators.

For the first time in a very long time, he found himself staying in one place for an extended period of time. He had taken the children from Berkley and whisked them away to a property he owned in Canada, and nursed them all back to health. The purging draught undid most of the damage, but within days all ten children started developing tumors. The kids were in for a rough couple of weeks.

To his amazement, and massive relief, all ten of the children made it, and after several weeks of discomfort and pain, they were thriving. Harry was unwilling to release them into the system because they'd be screened and immediately diverted to biotics training as soon as they stepped foot into a public school, so he resigned himself to spending the next decade parenting and teaching the children.

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2122

9 Years Later...

"You know, Melissa, you don't have to leave right now." Harry said to a stunning brunette woman wearing a gray sweatshirt and black leggings. She rolled her eyes, and kissed Harry on the cheek.

"I have to go out there and see the world! I can't stay cooped up here for the rest of my life..." Melissa, the youngest of the children he'd rescued said.

"I know.. I just... I'm going to miss you. You're the last to leave me." Harry said, tears in his eyes. She hugged him again, and stifled a sob

"I'm not leaving you. None of us did, we're always an extranet call away." Melissa said. Harry smiled, and reached out, straightening her shirt.

"You go out there and live, you hear me? Go meet someone, have kids, enjoy everything. I will always be here and I will always love you." Melissa said, her eyes watery now. Harry nodded

"Besides, Uncle Alex is going to need you to help him when the baby comes." Melissa added. Harry nodded and grinned.

"I can't believe he's going to be a dad. God I remember holding him when he was a baby." Harry said. Melissa smiled sadly. Her uncle Alex, a man who Harry had been there to hold on his first birthday, now appeared older than Harry himself. She couldn't fathom the weight that bore down on her adoptive father.

"I love you Dad." Melissa said. Harry looked at her in shock, but then broke down crying, holding her again.

"I love you too, Melissa." Harry said.

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2123

1 Year later

"Hannah?" Harry said, looking down at the squirming ginger baby in his arms. Alex nodded.

"She's beautiful... I'm so proud of you both." Harry said smiling down, looking into Hannah's eyes. Even at one day old she seemed to stare defiantly into his gaze. He grinned.

"Oh this one is going to be trouble." Harry said. Alex groaned.

"Don't say that, Harry..." Alex said, accepting the baby when Harry offered her. Harry offered him a false smile. After 143 years he'd become quite adept at faking happiness. He was happy of course to meet yet another descendant of his friends, but the years were wearing heavily on him. New discoveries that usually brought him excitement brought little joy to him. There wasn't any place in Alliance space he hadn't explored, which to be fair was limited. Humanity had only spread to three systems, all of which within twenty light years of each other. Restlessness and weariness fought for dominance in his heart, and he was struggling each day to find a reason to get out of bed.

"So how does Karen feel about being a grandmother at 43?" Harry asked with a grin.

"Why don't you ask me yourself?" Karen asked, leaning against the doorway.

"Karen!" Harry said excitedly, giving her a quick hug then stepping aside to let her hold her granddaughter for the first time.

"She's beautiful!" Karen said, openly weeping. Harry looked, this time not having to fake being happy. Karen had always been special to him.

"How's Andrea?" Karen asked.

"She's well, I took Hannah over here so she could get some sleep." Alex explained.

"So how are things at the office, Admiral Shepard?" Harry said with a Grin. Karen frowned.

"We found five more organizations that were doing illegal eezo experiments on minors. I'm getting worried that one of my colleagues is behind them. Nobody can trace where their funding is coming from." Karen said.

"Any leads?" Harry asked. Karen frowned.

"There's this one kid, a First Lieutenant, shooting up thorugh the ranks like you did. Bright kid, a little too ambitious for my liking. I was going to ask you to reach out to some of your resources, I can't get a read and It would be suspicious if I started digging." Karen said.

"What's his name?" Harry asked.

"Jack Harper." Karen said.

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2133

10 years later

"Uncle Harry, stop it. He's my friend." Hannah said, giggling

"Nope, he's going to try to take you away and marry you and I'll never see you again!" Harry said dramatically as he carried her over his shoulder and walked towards his skycar.

"Ugh fine, I'll take you over there, but you're not allowed to kiss anyone until you're 30." Harry said, putting her down.

"12" Hannah countered

"25" Harry said.

"14" Hannah replied.

"40" Harry responded, his fists on his hips looking sternly at her.

"Uncle Harry!" Hannah said, laughing.

"Remember kiddo, it's Uncle Ron in front of people ok? Some who remember me are still around." Harry said quietly. Hannah gasped, covering her mouth with her hands.

"I'm sorry!" she said.

"No sweat, now let's go bring you over to Prince Charming's house." Harry said, opening the door to the passenger side for Hannah, who got in and buckled her seat belt.

"Uncle Har... Ron? What's Cherberus?" Hannah asked, causing Harry to stumble.

"I think you mean Cerberus... Where did you hear about that?" Harry asked.

"When I was walking with Daddy, I found this on the ground over by the high school." Hannah said, handing Harry a crumpled up pamphlet. He looked through it and nearly panicked. The front showed "Cerberus, Guiding humanity towards a bright, pure future!" as well as the logo of a dog with three heads.

"Cerberus are a group of really mean people that are doing bad things to kids whose parents were exposed to eezo when they were in the womb. Your Grandmother and I are trying to find out more so we can stop them." Harry explained.

"Oh.. Why would they hurt kids though?" Hannah asked.

"Remember our talk about why some people are greedy and want to take all of the money in the world for themselves?" Harry asked. Hannah nodded.

"Well the thing is, money really represents power, and power is what makes some people do awful things to each other. Power is addictive, the more you have the more you want. Some people seek it to make positive change, whereas others simply seek control. That's why it's important to have ideals, ethics, morals whatever you want to call them. Find a cause and let it keep your heart pure." Harry said. His words were far calmer than his mind. Cerberus was recruiting at high schools now? He would have to talk to Karen as soon as possible.

*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*

2141

Eight Years Later

Harry stood, tears in his eyes, applauding as Hannah stood and saluted her commanding officer after receiving her commission to the rank of Ensign. She'd graduated high school early and given her pedigree was fast tracked into a military program for teenagers who were interested in serving. She essentially went through a combination of basic and officer training simultaneously, showing massively high aptitudes and graduating at the head of her class. The only thing stopping her commander from promoting her to First Lieutenant at day one was established military doctrine.

"God it feels like it was just yesterday I was holding her in my arms.." Alex said, before blowing his nose.

"You were just holding her yesterday." Harry said with a cheeky grin, uncaring of the tears tracking their ways down his own eyes.

"You know what I mean, asshat." Alex said.

"It feels like it was just yesterday you used to call me Uncle Harry. Now I'm asshat. Quite the promotion." Harry said, earning a laugh from the proud father. Both of them frowned when they saw her kiss her all-but-fiancee Jeremy, who had been attached at her hip since early childhood. They approached them, and after Alex had hugged Hannah and shaken Jeremy's hand, Harry stood there, his arms crossed looking sternly at Hannah.

"I thought we agreed, no kissing until you're 50." Harry said.

"Uncle Ron, stop it!" Hannah said, smiling brightly.

"Congratulations, love I'm so proud of you." Harry said, hugging her and reluctantly shaking Jeremy's hand. He could never fully trust anyone trying to take one of the ladies in his life away from him. It took decades for him to warm up to Ian Shepard. With Jeremy, though, there was something off about him. Harry did not like him, but would never embarrass or cross Hannah by bringing it up to either her or him.

"So did they give you an assignment?" Harry asked. Hannah nodded.

"Jeremy and I are going to be on the Denali." Hannah said. Harry rolled his eyes

"Still naming dreadnoughts after Mountains I see." Harry said. Karen rushed over and hugged Hannah

"I'm so proud of you! Your scores were higher than anyone since.. Well.." Karen said looking at Harry. She didn't say more though, Jeremy was not in the loop.

"Thanks Grandma.. I mean Admiral Shepard.." Hannah said, sheepishly saluting. Karen grinned

"At ease, Ensign. Shame you didn't get commissioned a few years ago, I could have ordered you to keep your room clean..." Karen joked. Hannah rolled her eyes and Harry and Alex laughed.

Hannah and Jeremy took off to celebrate with their friends, and Alex begged off to go prepare the party they were throwing for Hannah that night. Harry and Karen walked off towards the parking lot together.

"I don't like him..." Karen said, referring to Jeremy.

"I know what you mean. I can't put my finger on it, and either he's extremely good at covering his tracks or we're just being paranoid." Harry said.

"You didn't..." Karen said, staring scandalized at him

"You're goddamn right I did. You know I did it to Ian too." Harry said.

"Jesus I forgot how sneaky you can be." Karen said grinning.

"Aside from shoplifting a soda when he was 13, and a couple of detentions for fighting in middle school he's clean. Still I can't shake this feelign of unease when I'm around him, and after 161 years I've learned to trust my gut. I'm keeping an eye on that kid." Harry said. Karen nodded

"Me too, and I'll have a few of my friends help out." Karen said.

"Not a word of this to Hannah though. I'll never interfere unless she's in danger. She deserves to carve her own path." Harry said. Karen sighed.

"I'll try. She's precious to me though." Karen said.

"Me too, kiddo. Me too." Harry said.

*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*

2154

13 Years Later

"Don't push! I think she's coming out backwards.." Harry said to a terrified Hannah Shepard who was laying on a table that they were using as a makeshift delivery table.

"Is she ok? Tell me she's ok!" Hannah shouted. Harry waved his wand.

"She's fine, strong heartbeat, vitals good. Hang in there Hannah we're almost there." Harry reassured her. She leaned her head back and cried.

"Damn you Jeremy." Harry muttered under his breath as he reached his hands into Hannah's body and felt the baby.

"False alarm, next contraction push!" Harry said.

"Oh thank goooOOOOOOOD!" Hannah said, and with the next contraction she pushed hard, forcing the baby's head out. Harry used a spell to clear her airway and supported her head with his hands.

"Come on give me one more!" Harry said, and Hannah pushed, this time the baby's shoulders came out, followed immediately by the rest of her body and a copious amount of amniotic fluid. As soon as she was free, the baby wailed loudly, causing both Hannah and Harry to cry like babies. Harry hurriedly gave the baby to Hannah who stared down lovingly at it as she started to try to feed her. She barely noticed Harry working feverishly on her.

"How's she doing?" Harry asked.

"Oh Harry, she's beautiful!" Hannah said, crying happily.

"Good, let me go find something to wrap her in, I'll be right back." Harry said. Hannah nodded. Harry walked off, and as soon as he left the room he clamped down hard on the ur ge to go into a towering rage. He'd been right about Jeremy. He'd never proposed to Hannah, having never had any intention of marrying her, and when he found out she was pregnant he had bolted, abandoning his child and her mother. Harry was struggling not to apparate back to Cambridge and hunt him down.

"Is she ok?" A woman who was trapped with them inside the transport depot said.

"Mother and child are both fine. I need something to swaddle the infant." Harry said. The dozen or so people trapped in the transport depot during the storm along with them cheered at hearing they were fine, and an older woman slowly made her way to harry holding what looked to be several yards of orange cloth.

"Wow that's perfect, thanks. You usually carry bolts of cloth around with you?" Harry asked with a cheeky grin. The woman smiled and nodded.

"I was planning on making a skirt, but I can buy more, this is more important. I can't wait to meet the little angel." the woman said.

"As soon as they're rested, and if Hanna is ok with it. Thank you so much." Harry said. The woman waved him off and he rushed back, carefully cleaning and sterilizing the cloth with magic, before carefully wrapping the baby up.

"Here you go sweetheart, that should do until we get out of here." Harry said, handing the swaddled infant back to Hannah

"I'm going to name her Jane." Hannah said.

"Jane Shepard, that's a good name." Harry said, waving his wand around, banishing the amniotic fluid and afterbirth.

"How's the pain?" Harry asked.

"None. It's amazing, I just feel amazing..." Hannah said.

"Good. Gotta love endorphins. Let me know if you need help, I've got a pack full of fun drugs." Harry said gesturing at his backpack. Hannah's smile faded.

"Thank you, Uncle Harry. I couldn't have done this without you... Jeremy is..." Hannah started but Harry interrupted her.

"Jeremy is of no consequence. For all intents and purposes, he never existed." Harry said.

"It's just.. How am I going to do this? I can't bring an infant aboard a military cruiser, I'll have to resign my commission and then how can I feed her?" Hannah asked, tears starting to collect in her eyes.

"Huh. I should run another scan. I think the blood loss might have resulted in brain damage." Harry said, waving his wand over her head theatrically.

"What?!" Hanna asked, surprised. Harry sighed.

"Hannah, do you have any idea how much money I have? I own half of Lockheed Martin and all of Gentech Eezo refineries. You and she will live like queens." Harry said.

"Harry, I couldn't..." Hannah said but stopped when Harry glared at her.

"Goddamnit Hannah I'm not gonna listen to this. You've been one of my favorite people since the day you were born, that money is sitting in investments doing nothing by growing, if I spent every credit of my liquid assets right now, the dividends would replenish them in three days. I will not stand by and watch two of my favorite people languish in poverty and misery." Harry said.

"She's already one of your favorites?" She asked, smiling with tears streaming down her cheeks. Harry grinned.

"Fell in love with her the moment I set eyes on her. Just like her mother." Harry said.

*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*

2157

Three Years Later..

Harry held a crying preschooler in his arms, bawling his eyes out just like her.

"Don't go!" Jane cried. Harry kissed the top of her head.

"Sweetheart we talked about this. A lot of people are scared and hurt at Shanxi, they really need my help. You've got your mommy and your Grammy and Grandpa, they'll take great care of you while I'm gone." Harry said.

"But I want you here!" Jane cried burying her head in his chest.

"I know, sweetie, I want to be here with you too, but remember what I said? When you can help, you should, and I can. Now this is important so I need you to pay attention." Harry said. Jane looked up at him, her bright blue eyes staring into his green ones.

"I want you to remember, that while I'm out there trying to help humans, there are a lot of Turian boys and girls wherever they live whose mommies and daddies are fighting there too. They're just as sad and scared as you are. Those boys and girls didn't invade Shanxi, and their mommies and daddies are there because they're being ordered to. Don't fall victim to hate." Harry said.

"I won't. I promise." Jane said. Harry realized she probably didn't understand what she'd promised but he had to try. He set her down and hugged Hannah.

"Harry I know it goes without saying, but please be careful." Hannah said.

"Hannah you know I probably can't die out there, but I'll be careful. I'll call you when I get there and as frequently as I can. Your grandmother's ship will be here soon." Harry said. As if his words summoned it, a bright flash outside the station heralded the arrival of the MSV Matterhorn, the Alliance Fleet's latest and most advanced dreadnought. Admiral Karen Shepard was aboard, commanding the third fleet, and they had arrived to pick up supplies and personnel.

"I have to go, there's very little time. I love you both so much. Janey, keep Mommy safe, ok?" Harry said. Jane nodded, still crying but with a determined expression on her face. He hugged them both once more before grabbing his bag and jogging over to the docking ports.

Hours later, he stood in front of more than a hundred Alliance marines, listening to Karen explain the situation at Shanxi. There was no time for orientation, or even being assigned to quarters. The ship would be in Shanxi in less than an hour and the fighting would start immediately.

"Rest if you can but keep your gear close. When we're fifteen minutes out you'll be called to your landing craft. Godspeed to all of you. Company commanders please remain, the rest of you are dismissed." Karen said. The assembled soldiers saluted and jogged off, Harry approached Karen with a dozen or so more commanders.

"I wish we were here under better circumstances. Before we start do you have any questions?" Karen asked. A tall blonde woman raised her hand.

"Captain Daniels." Karen said.

"Admiral Shepard, do we have any updated intel on their capabilities?" Daniels asked.

"Nothing since the last bulletin went out. For those that didn't read it yet, we discovered that their ground troops employ personal kinetic shields not dissimilar to our own. Without them they're as strong as we are but slightly more frail. Their skin looks tough but underneath they're brittle and they have hollow bones." Karen said, gesturing for them to follow her into a private conference room. Once they were inside and the door was closed, the next captian raised a hand.

"Captain Brown?" Karen asked.

"I mean no disrespect, ma'am, but who is our new colleague?" Brown, a short man said, not unkindly.

"This doesn't leave this room, am I understood?" Karen asked. Everyone nodded.

"You will address him as Colonel Neville Finnegan. He will be in charge of the ground troops we're here to deliver. He is in fact, Harry Potter." Karen said. A collective gasp could be heard. Most higher ranking officers were aware of him and his special situation, as well as his functionally indefinite commission to the rank of Admiral.

"Fuck me sideways..." Captain Ngyuen, a strongly built woman with short hair and a scar on her cheek said.

"Play your cards right and I just might, Captain Nguyen." Harry said with a cheeky grin causing the woman to blush scarlet, but smile shyly at him.

"Need I remind you of our sexual harassment policies, Admiral Potter?" Karen asked with a grin.

"She started it!" Harry said. This caused laughter to ripple through the assembled officer. Harry didn't fail to notice that Nguyen's gaze rarely left him for the rest of the briefing. They reviewed the information that had been gathered since the invasion started. Turian soldiers were a solid match for Human ones. They stood taller, but weighed less and were more frail. Their tactics closely resembled human ones. The few they'd captured cooperated with their captors and while they could not be interrogated because of the language barrier, they treated the humans with the same respect they were given.

Their ships, on the other hand, put those of the Alliance Navy to shame. Alliance dreadnoughts were more heavily armored, but at the same time more maneuverable due to their efficient design, however Turian cruisers, frigates, fighters, gunships, troop transports were all vastly superior, especially the frigates. More Turian cruisers had been brought down by frigates ramming them in suicide runs than as a result of accelerator fire.

"We're as prepared as we can be. Get your gear in order and rest if you can. Dismissed." Karen said, returning the salutes she was given. Harry lingered, though Karen smirked when she noticed a certain short-haired Asian woman leaning against the doorway.

"Harry, I don't feel good at all about this" Karen said. Harry nodded.

"The day you feel good about piloting a murder machine full of soldiers towards almost certain death you need to hang up that uniform for good." Harry said. Karen nodded. In a way that made her feel better, it didn't assuage the nervousness but justifying it put her a little at ease.

"I'll go in first to try to clear the LZ, do we know if they have magic too?" Harry asked. Karen shook her head.

"None that we've seen. Once you're all planetside, report to General Murdoch, he'll be assigning a mixed unit of magical and muggle soldiers to your command." Karen said. Harry nodded and hugged her. He then shocked her by handing her his holly and phoenix feather wand.

"Harry I can't..." Karen said, before being interrupted.

"Keep it safe, I'll be back for it." Harry said with a grin. Karen nodded and accepted it gratefully. Time had done nothing to dilute the Weasley/Granger magic that coursed through her veins, and she already had her own wand, but to be carrying the one that chosen Harry was a remarkable honor for her.

"You should get going, I think you have a threat to make good on." Karen said, gesturing at the door. Harry grinned and hugged her again. He walked through the door, stopping right outside the threshold before holding his elbow out without looking. Nguyen took it and walked away with him. Karen shook her head and laughed.

*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*

One Month Later...

"Go slowly please, our translation matrix is still learning." Harry said. The Turian standing opposite him, whose men were pointing their rifles at him nodded.

"You come at us.. we not kill." The Turian said.

"No. We need your food for our prisoners." Harry said

"You not negotiate." The Turian said, raising her own rifle. Harry waved his hand, summoning all seven rifles which fell at his feet.

"How about now?" Harry asked. The Turians all withdrew their sidearms but the leader held her hand up to stop them.

"You feed Turians?" the leader asked.

"Our doctors discovered they have dextro protien." Harry said, struggling to simplify it for the primitive Vi translator. The leader spoke too quietly for the translator to pick up. One of his companions nodded and ran off, returning minutes later with a large crate on wheels.

"You have humans food?" the Turian leader asked.

"Yes, behind me." gesturing towards a similar crate behind him. With slow movements, he walked behind it and activated a mass effect field, levitating the crate, and with the push of a few buttons it slowly approached the Turians. He held the controller up and pressed the buttons showing him the controls. He then placed the control at his feet, with their weapons and walked backwards twenty meters. The Turians slowly approached, gathered their weapons and began moving the crate back towards their position. The leader remained, stepping back from the Turian food.

"You not what expects." The Turian leader said. Harry shrugged

"You fight with honor, we try to do the same." Harry said. The Turian's eyes widened at the word honor.

"Yes. Honor. Thank you, for feed Turians." The turian said.

"Thanks for feeding the humans." Harry said. They parted and took their burdens their separate ways. Harry sighed. Barring biology and appearance, the Turians were more similar to the Human soldiers than they were different. He sincerely hoped to one day meet them under better circumstances.

*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*

2158

One Year Later

"These terms are acceptable." Admiral Kastanie said to the Asari representative of the council who smiled and accepted the signed document, which the Turian general across from him also signed. They smiled, shook hands and allowed the press to photograph them before they took their leave to discuss the finer points of the cessation of hostility and withdrawal of the Turians.

"Are all Asari stuck-up sanctimonious assholes or just her?" Kastanie said, General Tavanas laughed.

"No, some of them are pleasant. It's a shame we couldn't meet under better circumstances." Tavanas said. Kastanie shrugged.

"Can't be helped now. What we can do though is ensure a brighter future for both of our peoples." Kastanie said, opening the door to a meeting room on the Citadel. There were several Humans and Turians there already, but all seemed to be gathered around Harry who was demonstrating bluebell flames.

"See, not biotics." Harry said. The Turians stared, gobsmacked at him.

"Can all humans do this?" A Turian Lieutenant asked. Harry shook his head.

"No, but more of us who can are being born now. We still haven't figured out what suppresses it in non-magical people, I'm kind of hoping now that we're a part of the galactic community some curious scientist from one of your worlds will help us figure it out." Harry said. He banished the flames when he saw the high-ranking officers approach.

"Officers on deck!" Harry shouted, causing all of the humans to snap to attention, saluting the Human and Turian officers. The Turians followed suit.

"At ease." Kastanie said. Curiously the Turians obeyed the directive and stood at ease at well.

"Colonel Finnegan, I'd hoped to meet you before I returned to Palaven. It's an honor." Tavanas said, offering his hand, which Harry shook without hesitation.

"The honor is mine, General." Harry said.

"It took a lot of bravery for you to get our people the food they needed." Tavanas said. Kastanie looked at him curiously.

"It was during the battle of Shanxi. Colonel Finnegan approached one of our patrols unarmed, and asked for Turian food for their prisoners. He was also able to use magic to save several of their lives. Harry shrugged.

"It's like I said to the leader of the Turian patrol. You fought with honor, we tried to do the same. Allowing prisoners who were in our care to starve would have been dishonorable." Harry said. The humans present all nodded in agreement. Tavanas was internally surprised. He was not used to honorable enemies.

"I'd like to thank you for that, Colonel." A Turian woman said, stepping forward offering his her hand, which he shook.

"I'm sorry I don't think I've had the pleasure..." Harry said.

"My name is Seargent Asta Vakarian. My kids still have a mother thanks to you, we were close to starvation." Asta said. Harry smiled.

"Thanks for not escaping and slitting our throats while we slept." Harry said, causing everyone present to laugh. The humans and Turians conversed, sometimes chiming in on details about the withdrawal, but mostly just getting to know each other. After so much time spent fighting, neither side was really surprised to see the similarities between their people. All Turians serve in the military, but afterwards they led similar lives to their Human counterparts.

"Do you have children, Colonel?" Asta asked. Harry shook his head.

"No, the closest I have is my honorary Niece, Jane." Harry said.

"I have two, Garrus and Solana." Asta said. Harry grinned

"Are they as much trouble as my neice is?" Harry asked. Asta laughed.

"Solana is always getting into fights with her friends, and we can't stop Garrus from pulling things apart and putting them back together again. It would be worse if it weren't for the fact that when he does that he always does it perfectly." Asta said.

"Ah, future engineer?" Harry asked. Asta laughed.

"Oh I doubt it. He's just as much of a fighter as his sister." Asta said.

*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*2160

Two years later...

Harry stood in a surprisingly large, open lecture hall between a group of terrified, injured children and a bleeding, badly injured Turian biotics instructor. He'd discovered the existence of the Biotic Acclimation and Temperance Training program and was eager to observe it, hoping to Enroll Jane once she went through the difficult process of manifesting the eezo nodules in her system that would facilitate biotics. He was shocked and horrified to find that their preferred methodology for bringing out these abilities in the students was to stress them with violence and fear. He arrived two weeks after the center opened and made short work of the security staff.

"Yeah, No." Harry said, looking down at the crippled Turian that lay at his feet. Said Turian scrambled frantically back as a number of traumatized children of numerous sentient races looked on in awe at the scene before them.

"You have no authority here, Human." the Turian said with false bravado.

"It's been two weeks and look at these kids. They're terrified, and hurting. I don't care if they're gifted biotics, I don't care if you're operating with the direct approval of the Alliance government and Turian Hierarchy, I will NEVER stand idly by while children suffer if it is within my power to stop it." Harry said, turning his back to them and slowly approaching the children.

"It's going to be ok, is everyone wearing a translator?" Harry asked. He received a series of nods.

"Good, I'd like for you to go get your things and meet me at the docking ring, my ship is plenty big enough for all of you." Harry said. The children started moving when harry heard the telltale sound of a biotic warp charging behind him. His shoulders slumped and he sighed as he reached behind him, killing the Turian with an overpowered singularity.

"Goddamn you for making me do that in front of them." Harry said, turning back to the twitching mass of bloody meat that had been the Turian biotics instructor.

"Who are you, Mister?" A boy with dark hair asked him. Harry turned and smiled.

"My name is Neville, you?" Harry asked.

"Kaidan Alenko, sir." The boy said.

"It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance. I'm, sorry you all had to see that. I really don't like hurting people. Please get your things. Palaven isn't far from here so we'll drop you guys off first." Harry said gesturing to three Turians and a Volus child.

*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*

2168

Eight Years Later...

Harry sat beside a crying 13 year old girl, rubbing her back as she struggled in vain to stop the next bout of dry heaves.

"Harry this really sucks." Jane said. Harry nodded.

"I know, I went through it too. It gets a lot easier after a couple of days." Harry said, lying. He barely kept anything down for a month. He was hoping the advances in medicine since then would make him less of a liar.

"I don't understand I've never been anywhere near unshielded eezo." Jane said, leaning sideways resting her head on Harry's lap. Harry kept rubbing her back.

"I've actually been expecting this. I suspect the exposure happened shortly before you were born. Hannah and I were stuck at that depot during the storm, and I think one of the docked ships had a load of it. Look at the bright side, pretty soon you'll be able to lift heavy objects with your brain." Harry said. Jane rolled her eyes and wiggled her wand in her hand.

"I can already do that." Jane said

"Yeah but biotics produce the awesome light show." Harry said. She chuckled weakly at that and a few minutes later she was quietly snoring. Harry sighed. He hated that Jane was suffering like this. The worst was that there was little anyone could do. He was not looking forward what might come next. He very carefully shifted his weight and lay back so that Jane was reclined more comfortably, and closed his own eyes. He drifted off and awoke half an hour later, his torso covered in vomit and Jane moaning in agony, clutching her head, tears streaming from her eyes.

"Make it stop... please..." She whimpered.

"Stupefy." Harry said, rendering the poor girl unconscious. It broke his heart to see someone so important to him suffer like this. He'd hoped she'd be one of the lucky ones to go through it with little pain, but apparently it was not to be. He wouldn't let her suffer though. After banishing the mess from his shirt, he carefully carried her over to his bed and tucked her in, then made his way to his potions lab.

Draught of living death was a complicated potion to brew, but Harry had more than a century of experience so it was a simple matter. He ennervated her just long enough for her to drink the foul potion before she collapsed back onto the bed, her face pale and her heartbeat too slow to percieve. Harry knew that she was alive and in no danger but to recognize that intellectually does not stop the emotional horror of watching the most important person in your life seemingly die. He would endure it for her though.

*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*

2176

Eight years later

"I told you it was gonna be hard." Harry said, waving his wand at Jane as she lay, breathing heavily on the lunar surface. They'd just completed their N7 training, Jane had been accepted into the program readily because of her test scores and leadership aptitude, and the ICT had leapt at the opportunity when Harry requested to be evaluated for entry into the program alongside her. Harry was well aware of the high mortality rate involved with that training, and had insisted on joining her to ensure her survival.

"Yeah yeah.." Jane said, accepting the hand that he offered to help her up. Even from behind the glass visor of their hardsuit helmet he flashed her that grin that never failed to give her the sensation of butterflies in her stomach. She'd been enchanted by the ancient wizard since the onset of puberty, but never had the courage to act on it. She'd assumed it was a simple adolescent crush in the beginning but as she grew into adulthood her feelings had only intensified.

He'd always been there in her life, helping Hannah raise her, when she was young to her he was a parental figure, then a mentor, and had slowly over time become her best friend. She loved that he protected her but never spoke for her, or interfered with her, she knew he had her back but trusted her to take care of herself, which is why she didn't lose her cool when Harry appeared in Rio in combat fatigues on their first day of ICT.

They made their way through the airlock and stripped out of their hardsuits. Jane frowned as she once again saw the scars Harry carried with him. Each had come with a story, the next more harrowing than the last, the only ones she'd never asked about were the angry criss-cross lines on his upper back. She figured that since they were likely to be stationed at opposite sides of the galaxy after their graduation, a thought that made her miserable, now would likely be the last chance she had to ask.

"Harry?" Jane said tentatively.

"What's up, Jane?" Harry asked, breaking down the top half his hardsuit for cleaning and storage.

"Where'd you get those scars on your shoulders?" Jane asked. Harry grinned.

"I wondered when you'd ask about those. Do you remember when you were five, and I freaked out on your mom for spanking you?" Harry asked. Jane did not like the implication.

"Yes..." Jane said.

"My uncle Vernon was... not a nice ma- Ok he was a total fucking bastard and one of very few people whose deaths I celebrated. He used to like to whip the shit out of me with his belt." Harry said.

"Jesus!" Jane said, horrified. Harry shrugged.

"I'll be 200 in four years, I've had a lot of time to come to terms with it. He's dead, my Aunt Petunia is dead, Dudley's dead, his kids are dead, and their kids are actually really nice people who have no idea how their relatives were. Melissa Dursley just got her Hogwarts letter and everyone was overjoyed. Trauma, unfortunately, is something we all must endure throughout our lives. We can surrender to it and let it rule over us, we can conquer it and force it into hiding where it will leap out at us when we least expect it, or we can learn to bend and let it past. It's like grass in the wind. When the wind blows, the grass bends, but when it abates it stands tall again." Harry said.

"Now I understand your reaction. That sucks." Jane said.

"It was along time ago, and honestly it's not even the worst thing that's happened to me. Christ, I'm still having nightmares about the aftermath from when we introduced the Krogan to Mexican

food. Taco Tuesday has been sullied forever." Harry said, causing Jane to laugh so hard she snorted.

*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*

2177

One Year Later..

"Where is she?" Harry asked in a calm tone of voice that would strike fear into the hearts of anyone that knows her.

"I'm sorry, sir. She hasn't been debriefed, my orders say nobody goes in until after that." a military medic said. Harry stared into the unfortunate young man's eyes

"One last chance. Where is she?" Harry asked, his tone not changing.

"Sir, I..." The man said before Harry dove into his mind and took the information he was looking for.

"Wha.. Where'd he go?" The medic asked, looking around to see that Harry had disappeared. He stormed towards the hospital room Jane had been assigned, which was guarded by two members of the military police. He was met with a pair of assault rifles pointed at his face.

"Sir, this room is off limits except to Commander... Shit. Admiral Potter. Please, proceed." The soldier said after recognizing the telltale scar on his head. Harry was once again in a cycle where he was acknowledging his true identity. The secret had come out shortly after he received his N7 promotion, and he figured if the whole Galaxy knew his secret there was no point in keeping it further.

"Harry?" a weak voice asked. Harry's heart broke when he saw the strong, vibrant young woman he'd helped raise laying broken and covered in bandages on a hospital bed, staring blankly in his general direction.

"I'm here, sweetheart." Harry said, walking over to her side, taking the one hand that wasn't bandaged in his.

"It's nice to see you." She said monotonously.

"Bend, Jane. You can't beat it, and you can't let it beat you. Like the grass, Janey. Bend." Harry said. Her lower lip quivered and her eyes filled with tears.

"Harry?" She asked and the walls came down, she sobbed violently, ignoring her injuries and latching on to Harry who sat there stroking her hair.

"It's ok sweetheart, I'm here." Harry said. He held her. He didn't ask questions, he didn't offer her platitudes, he just held her and that was precisely what she'd needed. A soft knock interrupted them, followed by the door opening, admitting a doctor and a soldier who Harry assumed to be the Commander in charge.

"Admiral Potter sir." The soldier said, saluting him

"At ease, commander. Forgive me, I can't return the salute right now." Harry said. The commander nodded.

"I'm Commander North, I was sent here by Alliance Command to debrief Corporal Shepard." North said. Harry frowned, squeezing Jane before backing off so the doctor could examine her.

"Let's give them some privacy while we talk outside." Harry said. The commander opened the door and followed Harry out.

"Sir, once the doctor gives us the go ahead we need to find out what happened down there." North said.

"Let me, Commander. I might be able to get it out of her without making her relive it." Harry said. North nodded and they waited silently until the doctor emerged.

"She's doing better than I expected but you need to be quick, she needs to be seen by a psychologist." the doctor said. They thanked him and walked in.

"Janey, they need to debrief you. Do you want to tell them, or do you want me to go in and see it." Harry asked. Jane paled. Neither option was ideal, she had no desire to relive the miserable nightmare that her operation on Akuze had been, but she knew from when Harry had taught her legillimency that there were times when the legillimancer saw more than they intended to, and there were a few things she had not wanted to reveal to him. Her trust for him won out in the end.

"Can you, Harry?" Jane asked. Harry nodded and withdrew The Elder Wand. He could bore into people's minds without it, but he wanted to be as precise as possible when it came to his favorite person.

"Legillimens" Harry said softly, and as he dove into her mind he was assaulted by images of soldiers running in fear from a giant, angry thresher maw. He saw Jane slapping their commander repeatedly in an attempt to pull him from the catatonic shock he'd fallen into upon seeing the Maw. After that failed, Jane assumed command and ordered the other soldiers to gather heavy ordinance, except for one who she ordered to man the radio and request evac.

They unleashed their rockets upon the maw but that did nothing except agitate it. Jane shouted at them to aim for the tongue, but they never got the chance. With a revolting guttural retching noise, the maw sprayed them with highly corrosive acid, killing three of them instantly, and rendering the others unable to fight. Jane herself was in agony as the potent acid burned her skin, but she fought through it, and raised her launcher up at the maw as it prepared for another attack. She fired, and the rocket hit its mark, destroying the top half of its head.

The rest was a blur because she'd been in too much pain, he saw vague images of a drop ship landing, medics spraying her with a foam that neutralized the acid, and a sad officer shaking his head confirming that she was the only survivor. Her memory lurched forward to a few minutes ago when she'd snapped out of it and the enormity of what had happened finally settled into her conscious mind. Harry saw himself holding her as her emotions raged between horror, grief, pain and then gratitude. Harry tried hard to withdraw at this point since he'd gotten the information that he needed, but something pulled him back in. Jane looked up at Harry and was overwhelmed by feelings of safety, comfort... and love. That revelation forced Harry out of her head awkwardly, and left Jane looking away from him red-faced.

Without missing a step Harry turned to the commander and gave him the details. Jane's senses were sharp and Harry was able to discern from what he'd observed through her eyes far more than a normal verbal debrief would have, and the commander noted everything down carefully, stopping him several times for details. When he was finished he looked at Jane.

"Corporal Shepard, words cannot encapsulate what it is to lose your squad, but I need you to understand that you did everything you could to get them out of there. Your response to the situation was precisely what we would have expected from far more experienced soldiers than yourself. I'm sure this goes without saying, but consider yourself on leave for as long as it takes." the commander said.

"Thank you sir." Jane said blankly. The commander left and after retaking her vitals, the Doctor left her in Harry's care, not so subtly suggesting that a little magic wouldn't go amiss. Harry nodded and waited for them to leave before retaking his seat at Jane's side.

"Harry, listen. About.." Jane said but Harry stopped her.

"I knew already Jane. I've known for a while." Harry said smiling at her, and carefully waving The Elder wand over her. Jane sighed in relief as some of the residual pain that managed to make it through the painkillers evaporated and her burned flesh began to heal.

"I never.. Look I don't want things to be different." Jane said.

"Don't worry about it. You're not the first to fall victim to my roguish good looks. Harry said, stripping a bandage off her arm and nodding when he saw reddened, but otherwise undamaged skin underneath.

"But you never said anything.." Jane said. Harry shrugged.

"You have a career to focus on, I'm told I can be quite distracting." Harry said with another grin. She laughed at that, marveling at how it didn't hurt.

"Oh certainly I can agree with that." Jane said, pulling herself up to a sitting position.

"Ugh, I feel like such a fool." Jane said, rubbing at her arm.

"Why?" Harry asked, helping her unravel a bandage on her leg.

"I'm a stupid lovesick fool of a girl with a crush on a guy who was for all intents and purposes her surrogate dad." Jane said. Harry lifted her chin and caught her eyes with his.

"Jane you're an amazing, beautiful, strong woman with a bright future and a brilliant career ahead of her. Also your taste in men is impeccable." Harry said, grinning at the end. She laughed again. Harry reached into his jacket and withdrew a shrunken parcel that he expanded. It was a new uniform in her size.

"Did they get my wand?" Jane asked. Harry frowned and shook his head

"It was dissolved by the maw." Harry said.

"Fuck. I guess I'll head out to Ollivander's after I get out of here." Jane said. Harry smiled, and reached into his coat withdrawing his old holly wand, which he held out to her.

"Harry I can't..." Jane protested. Harry laughed.

"That's what your grandmother said when I gave it to her before Shanxi. I won't be able to be there with you all the time, but if you carry this then in a way I always will be. Go on, now." Harry said. Jane tentatively grasped it and both were shocked when she was enveloped in a white light, which brought a bright smile to Harry's face.

"Does that mean what I think it does?" Jane asked. Harry nodded happily.

"It's yours now. It's chosen you. It will serve you well, I owe my life to the being that donated its core." Harry said.

"You're not mad?" Jane asked. Harry shook his head.

"Not at all. I really only need a wand for precision work nowadays, and the Elder Wand is more than capable. I fully support it's decision." Harry said.

They spoke more for a couple of hours, Harry holding her when the grief caught up to her but Harry could tell by the end of their encounter that she was going to be ok. It would take time of course, but Jane was too strong to stay down for long. He reached forward and gave her another hug before gathering his things.

"Bye Harry. Call me when you get to your next post?" Jane asked.

"Of course. And regarding our conversation earlier after you dumped me out of your head... let's put a pin in that shall we?" Harry asked with another grin as he stepped out into the doorway. Jane's heart hammered in her chest as she digested the meaning of what he'd said. Slowly, the look of shock on her face dissolved into a happy smile.

*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*

2180

Three Years Later

"Fire!" Lieutenant Commander David Anderson shouted as seven marines aimed their rifles into the air and fired. Harry's heart was heavy, and he was holding Jane and Hannah as they sobbed into his chest, staining his dress uniform with tears. He was fighting viciously to maintain his own composure.

"Fire!" Anderson yelled and the riflemen fired again into the sky. No matter how many times he'd been in this position it never got easier. His heart was burdened with an entire lifetime of memories, holding her as a young girl, teaching her how to fly a broom, lecturing her after she got into fights, seeing her off to basic training, then promotion after promotion over and over again and now he was burying her.

"Fire!" Anderson yelled again, and the riflemen fired for the last time. At this Harry's walls collapsed and he let out a sob. He hurt. So badly. His precious little Karen was gone. He was proud that she'd lived such an amazing life, but it did nothing to ease the pain. Hannah wailed as the casket was slowly lowered into the ground, the honored Admiral joining the millions now buried in Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia. Harry hated this place. He'd had to say goodbye to so many here, most of whom he'd considered family.

Hannah said nothing as she accepted the folded Alliance flag that was offered to her by a stoic looking David Anderson. He'd insisted on bearing this burden, Jane was his protege, and he had all but demanded to be there for her during this trying time. After a little more Military ceremony they dispersed, Harry flying Hannah and Jane to a manor house he owned in Ontario for the reception. By now Harry's house was likely swarming with soldiers and friends of the family who had all agreed to be there to help remember Admiral Karen Shepard.

Harry was able to keep it together for the most part, he didn't try to hide his pain from Hannah and Jane. He learned after repeating this process time after time that sharing your own pain helped the grieving to share theirs, it was a burden that none should be expected to bear alone. Harry briefly smiled when he saw the vast amount of redheads in attendance, many of whom were in military garb. The Weasley genes were strong, and had been spread by so many of his old friends. After an hour, Hannah and Jane had split off from him to speak with other mourners, and Harry found himself alone, staring listlessly at a framed photograph of Karen.

"You look like you can use a distraction." A deep, rumbling voice said from behind him. Harry turned and smiled at his friend.

"Alec, thanks for coming. Scott, Sara you've gotten so big!" Harry said, shaking Alec's hand and hugging the twins.

"I wish it were under different circumstances, I'm so sorry for your loss." Alec said.

"Thank you. You're right though I could definitely use a distraction. How's your new friend doing?" Harry asked. Alec looked around to ensure they weren't being overheard.

"We had a bit of a set back, I had to revert to a backup, but I think I know where it went wrong. I can't thank you enough for that neural matrix you found for us." Alec said. Harry nodded

"No worries. If you need anything else, let me know. How is Ellen doing?" Harry asked. Alec's expression fell.

"Not well. I was going to see if you had any more of the purging draughts." Alec said.

"Of course. Jimmy!" Harry said, a house elf in a simple suit wearing a black arm band appeared.

"You called on Jimmy, Master Harry Potter sir?" Jimmy asked, his eyes were red, he'd obviously been crying.

"How are you holding up? Do you need some time?" Harry asked. Jimmy shook his head causing his ears to flap wildly.

"No thanks you sir. It's better if I stay busy." Jimmy said. Harry nodded.

"I understand. Can you retrieve the crate of purging draughts in my storeroom and bring it to Alec's home?" Harry asked.

"Of course sir!" Jimmy said before disappearing.

"Poor guy. He adored Karen." Harry said, looking sadly at where the elf had been.

"I was surprised you offered to help Dad, given the... nature... of his project." Sara observed.

"Yeah, you could get in serious trouble, Harry." Scott said. Harry grinned.

"A group of wise philosophers from when I was young once said something that applies to situations like these: Fuck the police." Harry said, causing Alec to shake his head and smile, and the twins to look at him confused.

*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*

2183

Three Years Later...

"I'm so proud of you Janey! XO of a new experimental frigate!" Harry said, hoisting Jane into the air, causing her to laugh.

"Thanks Harry. I just hate that I'll be gone for so long." Jane said. Harry smiled.

"Remember, I'm always with you." Harry said, gesturing towards the wand that was strapped to a holster on her wrist.

"Do you know why that Turian Spectre is coming with us?" Jane asked. Harry frowned.

"I do, and I've been ordered not to say, and it's not something that will be dangerous to you or anyone else so I am compelled to obey. What I will say is that you should trust him. Nihilus is an honorable man, far more so than most of the Council's spectres. I've uh... been looking into him." Harry said, with a bashful grin.

"You have, have you?" Jane asked with a grin.

"Let's just say that Mrs. Vakarian and I have been in correspondence since Shanxi, and she as more than happy to piss off her superiors in the Hierarchy." Harry said. Jane laughed.

"Seriously though. Asta Vakarian has never steered me wrong. If she says Nihilus is on the level, then he's on the level." Harry said.

"I'll take that under advisement and make up my own mind once I meet him." Jane said.

"Good girl." Harry said grinning and hugging her again. Jane led him out to the docking bays and Harry whistled, impressed at the sleek new Frigate Jane and David would be taking on a shakedown. Anderson came out to greet them and gave them a tour. At one point Jane branched off to go talk to Adams about an engineering question she had, leaving Anderson and Harry alone.

"You were right, by the way. Saren is a murderous sack of shit, I don't care what the council lets the spectres do. I've got some friends keeping an eye on him, I'll let you know when we have something concrete." Harry said.

"Thank you Harry. Nobody else would listen to me about him." Anderson said.

"So Nihilus is here to evaluate my Janey?" Harry said with a grin. Anderson nodded and smiled.

"Harry I've been serving my whole adult life and I've never seen a more capable officer than Jane. I cant' think of anyone better for the honor." Anderson said. Harry looked at him

"I can think of one other person who was worthy of it." Harry said. Anderson frowned.

"Honestly I'm glad I didn't make the cut. I can't help but feel I can do more good as an Alliance captain than a council spectre. Are you sure you won't come along?" Anderson asked. Harry shook his head.

"I won't interfere. Besides if I were there the council may doubt her accomplishments on this mission." Harry said David nodded, he couldn't dispute that.

"By the way, Admiral Hackett laughed his ass off when he saw your interaction with Spartaus." Anderson said with a grin.

-Flashback-

"We've been made aware of your accomplishments, and your situation. We have chosen to offer you the distinction of being Humanity's first spectre." Spartaus said, condescendingly from his position overlooking the Council Chambers. Anderson stood to his right, and Jane to his left surreptitiously recording the interaction on her omnitool.

"No thanks." Harry said evenly.

"What?!" Valern screeched.

"Huh. I thought Salarians had really good hearing. I said no thanks." Harry said.

"You would refuse this honor?" Tevos asked. Harry shrugged.

"I don't want to join your dumb little vigilante group. Peace out." Harry said, turning and leaving the Council without having been dismissed, causing them to seethe in rage. Jane and Anderson waited to be dismissed but struggled to contain their laughter on their way out.

"Udina's going to be pissed." Jane observed, laughing as she left the chambers.

"Udina can suck it." Harry said.

-End Flashback-

"Some days when I'm feeling depressed, I'll read those emails Udina sent me yelling at me for that. Never fails to put a smile on my face.