Disclaimer: See Chapter 1

A/N: Thank you to all my awesome readers for coming back to the next instalment, and hopefully those new to this story.

Today's story: Isla Nublar and shocking discoveries…

-oOo-

Chapter 11

-oOo-

August 6, 1993

Isla Sorna, Costa Rica

Harry looked out the window of the helicopter. He still preferred brooms but knew he would never fly one again.

Three hundred years ago wizards were flying brooms, but it was nothing like his Firebolt. Harry wanted to work on a broom, but Sirius wanted him to master the basics first. Which, Harry had to admit, would be more important since we would be involved in training Lex now. Thinking about her, Harry was starting to really wonder why Lex never had any accidental bursts of magic? It wasn't natural for someone to show as strong a reaction to some of the wands they tried to not have accidental bursts.

It was another mystery to add to the other ones they were working on. Though, thanks to this, Sirius and him were starting to look far deeper into the Inquisition and the Catholic church. It was making him uncomfortable the reaction that Ms Murphy had, even some of the misgiving of Lex. It was deeply rooted in many, though they hadn't seen that at the island. Then again, those that worked at Jurassic Park didn't seem very religious to start, so maybe that was why?

They had been in the air for almost forty minutes when a small chain of islands came into view. "This is the Five Devils. Los Cinco Diablos," the pilot said over the radio. "InGen has leases on all of them. The largest island is Isla Sorna. We are about forty miles off the coast now," the pilot told them.

"Is this island smaller than Isla Nublar?" Sirius asked.

"It's about half the size, but still a good five miles across," the pilot answered.

Harry was excited to see Isla Sorna. Excited enough to forget Lex for a short while. It would only be two more weeks before he saw her again.

Isla Sorna was where the main research facilities were, and the main site of all InGen genetics. He had heard of other sites and divisions, but this one was the largest, as far as he knew. I had some smaller paddocks, but most of the dinosaurs here were supposed to be smaller, younger or still experimental. As Dr Wu had described it the other day, gene sequencing and splicing was not perfect and often the first few clutches didn't survive long. He didn't like how it sounded, making things that couldn't survive on their own, but the results at Jurassic Park were undeniable. Today they were meeting Muldoon and Dr Timmons to look at the Hypsilophodons and Gallimimus. In a few days they would be brought to Isla Sorna, bringing Jurassic Park to thirteen species. When Muldoon had offered Harry to be part of the retrieval team, he had jumped at the opportunity. Quite literally, as Sirius liked to remind him. He was about to spend three days on Isla Sorna.

It was a bit of a reward for dealing with Dr Bones and Roberts for the last four days. Dr Gin had shown up, with Lockwood assuring he would keep an eye on her, but she was being kept away from him after another incident.

Harry really hated Dr Gim. She had snuck his wand away when he had left on a table while doing something for Dr Bones. By the time Harry had tracked her down, she had almost split it open. Sir Lockwood had threatened to throw her off the project if she tried that again. Now the sulky woman was giving him sidelong glances that he didn't like.

Harry tried to leave thoughts of her behind as the high cliffs of Isla Sorna came into view. This was going to definitely be a reward.

"It gets a little choppy as we come over the cliffs. Except for a small beach near Site B, the whole island is surrounded by these deep cliffs. We'll land at Site B," the pilot told them.

"You excited, Harry?" Sirius asked.

"Very. It should be interesting to see how they get along in the central paddock. The grassland paddock won't be ready until late next year," Harry replied.

Sirius chuckled. "You know this better than I do."

"Well, if you were around more," Harry said, not really minding how much Sirius was traveling. He had found signs of Durmstrang and planned to take Harry with him in a few weeks, after Lex was settled onto Isla Nublar.

"I'm around enough," Sirius replied. "I can be around more, if you need."

"You said you were going to Norway next week to scout. I want to see what you find," Harry told him.

Sirius nodded. They passed over the cliffs and inside a large, rounded bowl that looked to be made by a collapsing volcano and that took up much of the island. They flew over the jungle. Harry could make out a few paddocks that were setup a little differently. There were no moats, and the fences didn't look as high. In many places the jungle came right up to the fences. Most of the area had no fences with dinosaurs wandering around. He caught a few diplodocuses along a river and a different type of duckbill he hadn't seen yet. They all looked half the size of the ones at the park.

"Is that a corythosaurus?" Harry asked, pressing against the window. There was a long half moon crest on its head.

"No clue, kid," the pilot said. "I just fly where they tell me to go."

Harry was starting to dislike being called kid. He was sixteen now.

"What are those?" Sirius asked as they flew over another paddock. Harry looked at two theropods that were about the size of jeeps. They had large front arms, a slightly curved neck and what looked like horns over their eyes. "Looks like a dragon."

Harry was going through the books he had read in his head. "They might be allosaurus. I heard Dr Wu talking about them at one point."

The two dinosaurs looked small though. Juveniles?

They didn't see any others as they made towards the west side of the island and a large road came into view and then a huge building with a small town near it. "That is Site B, gentlemen."

Flying over the large building, Harry saw three large cages like they had used for Romilda near a large hanger. The landing pad had another helicopter with the InGen logo on it, and there was a long runway, with a smaller cargo plane in an open hangar. Inside the other hangar was the Chinook. Along one wall was dozens of crates the size they had used for the raptors, and a dozen or so larger ones. Three trucks were at loading bays of the large building with containers on them, while four others were parked off to the side. Two guards Harry didn't recognize were close to the landing pad sitting in an InGen jeep, which was painted a dark blue, instead of the white and red on Isla Nublar.

Once they landed, the pilot started to power down as they got out, ducking to avoid the rotors. "Mr Potter? Mr Black?" a shorter man with a thick set neck, shaved head and glasses asked as he came to meet them.

"Yes. That's us," Sirius replied.

"I'm Westley and this is Quinn. If you would come with us, Mr Muldoon will see you at the inn," the man told them.

By the time they got in the jeep and started to drive off, the helicopter was shut down and two men in overalls came out to talk with the pilots. "How was your flight over?"

"Boring. Do you have corythosaurus and allosaurus on the island?" Harry asked excitedly.

"I'm sorry, Mr Potter, but we can't talk about anything being researched here," the other man said.

Harry pursed his lips. Lots of people mentioned Isla Sorna, but never talked about what was going on here until a new dinosaur was ready to be transported to the park.

"Are we going to go in the big building?" Sirius asked.

"Afraid not, Mr Black. Only those with clearance can enter," Westley said as they drove around the huge building and towards the village. As they approached, there was a fence that separated the airfield and building from the other buildings. "That big building over there is the main power plant. We ask that you don't go over there, but you are welcome to go anywhere else in the village. That is the commissary and the bar and cafeteria."

They drove past the two buildings. A few people in overalls were walking into the bar. "There is a small arcade attached to the laundromat. And this is the inn."

They pulled up to a square concrete building. All the buildings here were rather nondescript cement buildings with narrow windows and what looked like reinforced steel doors. Sirius gave Harry a look as they got out of the car. "Are you expecting issues? Those buildings look quite strong."

"This is a research facility that has some dangerous and unpredictable animals. We can't take too many precautions. Mr Muldoon will be by about five. Until then, you can check in at the desk and then you are free to wander inside the fences," Westly told them, before getting back into the jeep and driving off.

"Well, he was nice," Sirius said in a sarcastic tone, making Harry give a short laugh.

"His mother must be so proud with a bedside manner like that," Harry replied.

Sirius cracked a smile. "Let's go check in and then let's play in the arcade. Lily took us to one once."

"Are you ever going to grow up?" Harry asked, hefting his backpack higher onto his shoulder.

"Is there a need too?" Sirius was rather serious. Harry snorted at him.

-oOo-

August 7, 1993

Isla Sorna, Costa Rica

They drove out of Site B with three trucks and two jeeps. The small Hypsilophodons were in the inner paddocks. Apparently, this island was more of a nature preserve. At about two-thirds the size of Isla Nublar, Isla Sorna was the true heart of the genetic engineering of InGen when it came to dinosaurs and was also a large natural lab as well. The inner paddocks, which they had flown over, were smaller and housed those dinosaurs viewed as 'viable' for the park. All the paddocks were protected by a fence keeping the released dinosaurs away from Site B.

Dr Wu had said all the ones in the inner paddocks and in Jurassic Park were three-point-oh versions or later. In the preserve, were all the ones that were either 'under' viability trials or had been released to see what their behaviours would be like. Muldoon had told them that the island was about fifteen-miles by fifteen-miles, with only a five-mile area around site B really being developed. The rest of the island was monitored by sensors and a few observation posts.

The Hypsilophodons were near the centre of the inner paddocks. They drove past two therapods, one Harry was now convinced was allosaurus, and the other was a very young cryolophosaurus... he knew of no therapod dinosaur with a crest like that. Another had two sauropods that were small, maybe only the size of him.

"Most of these won't be moved over for another year or two. Maybe more. Only half the paddocks are completed on Jurassic Park, and they want some to keep people coming back for new dinosaurs," Muldoon explained to Sirius and him. "If things really work out, Hammond hopes to open parks in other spots around the world."

"Were those Allosaurus?" Harry asked.

"You didn't hear it from me," Muldoon said, giving them a significant look.

That had been a little annoying that Sirius and him were not allowed to know anything about this site.

"What are those small ones?" Sirius put to Muldoon.

"We don't know. They don't match any fossil record. Some of the experts Hammond works with thinks it some type of micro-titanosaurus. If it is, they don't grow much over twenty feet long and maybe as tall as a man," Muldoon told them, having to talk loud over the jeep.

"How many species don't they know?" Harry enquired.

"Eight so far, but only two have been viable," Muldoon said. "If I get permission, I'll take you to one of the outposts at some point."

"That would be wicked," Harry said. He was excited to be out here

It took them about fifteen minutes to make it to the smaller paddock. During that time, they drove out of the forest and into a grassy plain. Harry noticed that there were no moats here. As the jeep skidded to a halt, Harry looked at the large towers that had two to four paddocks that ran up to them. "These are feeding towers. Mostly automated for the herbivores," Dr Timmons told them.

Muldoon moved to the rear of the jeep. "We are going to go up in the tower and ring the lunch bell. When they come to feed, we'll knock them out."

Sirius gave him a look when Muldoon passed Harry a larger rifle. Yvonne was with them, as were three guards from Site B Harry didn't know. "Use the green darts. If you use the blue or yellow, that will be too much and it will kill them," Dr Timmons told them as he gave each of them six darts of the green, then two each of the others.

"Why give us the others then?" one of the other guards asked. He looked a little nervous.

"Just in case. The fences here aren't as strong as on Isla Nublar. The yellow are for the big ones. The blue for anything smaller than a car," Muldoon added. "Potter and Umbridge, you are with me. DeLuca, you and your men our backup when the teams go in."

DeLuca was a larger guy, of Spanish-American decent with black hair, big lips and dark eyes. The man had a feel of a soldier. Even with this, Harry met the man's eyes. "I still don't trust having a kid up there," DeLuca told Muldoon. "I don't care if he's with Hammond or not."

"Potter knows what he's doing," Muldoon said. Harry straightened at the praise.

"Why don't I get one?" Sirius asked.

"Potter has been practicing and you haven't," Muldoon said easily.

Harry was pleased with the praise from Muldoon.

Harry followed Muldoon while Dr Timmons worked with the ten handlers that had come with them, helping them unload the cages and getting things ready.

Sirius came with them. "You know what you're doing, pup?"

"Muldoon thinks so," Harry replied.

"The kid knows what he's doing," Yvonne pipped up.

"Harry, how many are we looking for?" Muldoon asked.

"Ten," Harry replied.

"Are they dangerous?"

"Like a kangaroo," Harry told him.

"How do you remember all this?" Sirius asked as they made it to the tower. There was a small personnel door and a large metal garage door.

"I like all this," Harry told Sirius as though that was all the explanation needed.

Muldoon punched in a code at the door. Inside the tower, it was dominated by three large machines full of hay and grasses. A metal stair was on the wall next to the doors. Up the stairs, there was another door that opened from the inside, but had a code on the outside. the observation level was covered with a metal roof. "Make sure you have green darts. You two are to take three each."

"Yes, sir," Yvonne said, falling more into her military training.

"Aim small," Harry said, repeating what Muldoon had been teaching him.

"Good lad," Muldoon said as they lined up along the railing. There was tall grass in the paddock and the sun was out. They couldn't see any of the smaller dinosaurs, who should be about the size of a dog. They would be going into a series of paddocks made for these smaller dinosaurs along the main road by the aviary.

"Where are they?" Sirius asked.

"They tend to sleep in the grass and around that tree this time of the day. They don't like the midday sun," Muldoon said, making sure the strap was out of his way.

Harry put his arm on the railing, getting ready. Muldoon looked to Dr Timmons. There was a thumbs up between them. The radio on their belts crackled. "Control. Dr Timmons. Authorization delta-Howard-nine-nine-five. Put out the treats on paddock eighteen."

A moment later, there was a responding crackle from a woman. "Ten-four."

There was a bell and then a green light started to flash below them. A few heads shot up out of the grass almost immediately. The dinosaurs were the size of a small dog, like a beagle, just standing on longer legs. When the building made a clunking sound, a bunch of cut vegetables dropped out of a chute. As though knowing what they were getting, two of them stood up tall on their back legs, maybe three feet at the head, looked around and then made a squawking sound. The other eight stood up. It was a rush for them to run to the building and go for the cut vegetables.

Yvonne shot first, dropping the big one in the back that was watching over the others. Muldoon's shot was just a second later.

Harry sited down his air gun. His finger pulled the trigger and his first shot just missed. "Bloody hell."

"Just remember to breathe," Muldoon said as Harry opened the chamber and put another dart in, careful not to get himself. Leaning over, he took in a few breaths. Yvonne and Muldoon had already taken down five between them. The Hypsilophodons were starting to realize something was wrong.

Aiming at one that was looking nervous, Harry let out a breath, pulled the trigger and a few seconds later, the small Hypsilophodon was down.

Reloading, he missed the one he was aiming at as it started to run away. "This would be so much easier with my wand," he grumbled as he reloaded.

The one that ran was now under the tree. Harry took in its movements, trying to lead the shot like Muldoon had told him, let his breath out, and pulled the trigger. He saw the dart hit the neck of the dinosaur. A moment later, it wobbled and then fell over.

Muldoon pulled his gun up. "Good job, Harry."

"Ah, no praise for me?" Yvonne said in a teasing tone.

"You missed one shot out of five," Muldoon said a little harder.

"That is still good," Yvonne retorted, not looking upset about the rebuke.

Sirius moved to the rail to see eight of the small dinosaurs at the base of the tower and two others by the tree. Muldoon picked up his radio. "They are all down, Timmons. Let's get this going. I want them on the chopper in thirty minutes."

"We got it from here," Dr Timmons came over the radio.

They watched the gate open, and the teams below move the crates in and loaded the dinosaurs. Harry had the feeling this was a relatively frequent event as the handlers worked two to a crate in an experienced way. The first five were loaded within ten minutes. Muldoon was getting a little nervous when it took more than twenty to load and secure them all.

"You coming back?" Muldoon asked.

"Can I come back for the Gallimimus tomorrow?" Harry asked.

"We'll fly back over tonight. Black, are you staying?"

"I'm sticking with Harry," Sirius said as they walked down and left the tower.

"Let's get going then," Muldoon said as they walked back to the jeep. The trucks and the other jeep were already leaving, heading back to the Chinook to load the Hypsilophodons.

-oOo-

August 9, 1993

Isla Nublar, Costa Rica

Strapped into a seat on the side of the Chinook, Harry was reading an old book on charms It may be three hundred years out of date, but it was the best he had. Trying to read the older English, he often found himself going over a line two or three times to make sure he understood. The more annoying thing was that half the books and scrolls were in Latin or other languages. Apparently, Hogwarts had taught more than they did when he went.

This particular book was about charms used on creatures. The author didn't seem to have a particularly high opinion of the creatures, but if half the spells were real, there was a lot that wizards used to know about controlling dragons, lindworms, acromantula, griffins and a half dozen other creatures. With knowledge like this, why was it ever made illegal to breed or have so many of them?

Unless it was a thing enforced so that wizards could hide from Muggles?

Dr Timmons was next to him. "What are you reading? That looks rather old," the man said.

"Some old book on animals," Harry told him, closing the book.

Dr Timmons gave him an appraising look. "I saw something about hippogriffs on that page. That's no animal I know."

Harry knew that Sirius and him were not being hugely cautious, but it had seemed to only stay with the two dozen or so people that knew. Sirius and him suspected that others had seen them practicing, but there had been no enquiries from others.

"Do you find it that odd, with how we deal with dinosaurs?" Harry asked.

"No. But I do find it odd of the rumours that you can do magic," the man said rather casually.

Harry looked at the doctor that he had come to like as much as Muldoon. "Do you believe the rumours?"

Dr Timmons made a face that said he wasn't sure. "I've seen some incredible things working with InGen that I never thought possible. For the last five years I have had to totally turn my whole understanding of what I learned in school, on its head. Not to mention when my parents took me to church." Dr Timmons motioned to the crates with the Gallimimus in them. "I don't think I would be too surprised to find that dragons, mermaids and minotaurs exist. If there was magic, that might explain how we were able to clone dinosaurs."

Harry snorted. If only he knew. "If there was magic, would that change anything?"

The man shook his head and leaned back into the head rest. "Not at all, but it would explain why a sixteen-year-old is allowed to do this. You act much older."

"Yeah, well, I had to grow up," Harry replied.

"Don't forget to be young," Dr Timmons told him. The man turned towards the front and Harry saw Muldoon walking over towards them.

Leaning down, Muldoon said, "When we land, Rogers is meeting us. You have to go with him."

Harry said back incredulously, "You said I could see them off."

"Change in plans. We have guests that Hammond wants you to meet," Muldoon told him.

"Can't they wait? We'll be done within two hours," Harry told him.

"Hammond's orders. We still need to transport the other six Gallimimus tomorrow. I'll bring you along if I can," Muldoon promised.

"This is bloody shite. Hammond approved this," Harry shot back.

Muldoon spread his hands, indicating he couldn't do anything about this. If this was for Lockwood and his staff, Harry would be very upset.

Feeling a little disgruntled, Harry grabbed his bag and left the helicopter as soon as the rear door was open. The tall man with short, cropped hair and in a new uniform that had Security on the back and the Jurassic Park logo on the front was waiting just past the gate platform. Harry threw his bag into the back of the jeep and flopped into the seat, folding his arms

Rogers chuckled. "My sister's boy acts like that when he's upset."

"I was supposed to see the Galli's off," Harry told him rather petulantly.

Rogers shook his head. "So, you are a real teen?"

Harry gave the man a glare.

Rogers looked at him, a huge smile on his face, then looked a little worried. "Your eyes are glowing a little. You may want to calm down some. I'm taking you back to your apartment to get cleaned up. You are going to lunch at noon with Hammond and some important VIP's. Then over to the Allosaurus pad about one thirty. The first guests are already here, and Hammond wants you on your best behaviour."

"More investors?" Harry asked, having to do a few luncheons with Japanese investors that seemed to understand that Harry was important, but not why.

"More like inspectors. Hammond wants you to show off what you know about the dinosaurs," Rogers told him.

"Hammond usually gives me a heads up," Harry replied.

"I take this is a more impromptu visit."

Harry nodded, keeping his arms crossed until he was dropped off at the workers apartments. "I'll be by about eleven-forty-five."

"Sure," Harry said, climbing out of the car.

When he got up to his room, he found a note on the door:

Dress nicely. Slacks and button-down shirt.

Harry crumpled the paper and tossed it on the floor. He took out his wand and flicked it at the door, the silent 'Alohomora' causing an audible click as his lock opened. He did as instructed. He was halfway through his shower when he realized this meant he would be missing Lex's call this afternoon, making his mood even better.

Maybe he could try to call her before lunch? They hadn't talked in days. He had to admit that the pretty blonde had become his best friend, besides his long-distance girlfriend.

Rogers drove him up to the Visitor Center. "They are in the private dining room."

Harry just waved his hand over his shoulder when he got out of the jeep, still annoyed that he had been taken from the Gallimimus and was missing Lex for this. The centre looked busier than normal. Dr Wu was talking with a few technicians as he walked past them. "Make sure the eggs are sanitized. Hammond should never have let them in the lab without proper cleaning protocol followed," the man said annoyed to the two people with him.

The private dining room was off the restaurant, so he walked through and knocked on the doors. When they opened, Harry was surprised to see two servers in black slacks and white long sleeve shirts.

"...telling you that this plant is poisonous," a woman said. "You probably picked it out because it looks nice."

"Ah, Harry. If I can, I would like to introduce you to one of our youngest employees and part of our target audience," Hammond said to the others in the room. The doors closed behind him.

Harry took in the four other people with Mr Hammond. One was a man that screamed lawyer with his button-down shirt and vest. The signs of sweat spoke of someone not used to the warm, humid weather. Next to him was a woman in a faded red denim shirt over a blue one, khaki shorts and brown leather work boots. Across from the lawyer was a strange man in a black shirt and pants, dark glasses on the top of his head and a smug forbearance to him as though he was always right. The last man, in blue jeans, a flannel shirt and a fedora... Harry recognized instantly from his book collection.

"Dr Grant?" Harry asked, a smile coming over his face.

They had all turned to him, the man looking a little uncertain as Harry moved to take his hand. Dr Grant stood to greet him. "Yes, I'm Dr Grant."

"Harry Potter, sir," Harry said, his foul mood changing. "I have read all your papers and your two books. I think some of your research is a bit out of date, but it has really helped me understand Hadrosaurids and raptor general behaviour. I have a ton of notes that I can share with you. Muldoon and I have been trying to work with Dr Harding and Dr Timmons to document Edomontosaurus and Parasaurolophus behaviours. I can't say how excited I am to meet you."

Dr Grant gave a sidelong look towards the woman. "Ah, thank you. Who are you again? You look a little young to be a graduate student."

Mr Hammond chuckled. "This is Harry Potter. He's like a junior game warden working with my senior game warden and the veterinarians. Harry, here, has taken to the animals and life on the island over the last few months like nothing else."

Harry moved to greet the others. The blond woman stood up. "Dr Ellie Sattler. Paleo-botanist. You say you work with the dinosaurs?"

"I would sleep with some of them if Mr Hammond allowed me," Harry replied a bit cheekily with a big smile.

"Now... now this is rather unexpected. You are now trusting children to run the park?" the man in black put to Hammond.

"My god, this is a lawsuit waiting to happen," the other man said.

Mr Hammond laughed. "I think you will find Harry to be quite interesting. He is becoming a very valued person at the park. Harry, this unpleasant man, is Dr Ian Malcolm."

"How do you mean that?" Dr Malcom said, ignoring Harry's hand. "John, you can't be serious that you have this boy running around the park? That is the definition of chaos theory. Extinct organisms that now walk with man. A child working with the dinosaurs. Poisonous plants in the building..."

"They aren't poisonous," Harry said, moving to greet the last man. "Harry Potter."

"Donald Gennaro. Senior partner at Cowan, Swain & Ross," the man replied.

"What do you mean this isn't poisonous. This is clearly a serrena verifomina. Evidence shows that these should be poisonous," Dr Sattler instructed Harry. She wasn't quite condescending, but it was obvious she didn't look at Harry as more than a kid.

"Dr Sattler, I don't know everything about some of the plants on the island, but I know that Dr Rose has verified that all the plants in the building and around the centre are not poisonous. She has shown us the few that we have found that can be poisonous to humans, but the stegosaurus and triceratops like to eat them and they should only be in the south paddock," Harry told her, sitting down.

Dr Grant looked to Hammond, pointing a thumb to Harry. "Who is this kid?"

Mr Hammond smiled. "Dr Grant, Harry Potter. Harry Potter, Dr Grant."

"My god, we're doomed. Instead of standing on the shoulders of the giants that came before you, you are teetering on the shoulders of a babe," Dr Malcolm said ominously.

"I am sixteen, thank you," Harry said rather indignantly.

"Harry has been working closely with our park staff for a few months now and shows a real knack for the animals," Mr Hammond assured the table. "He has been here for the introduction of a few of our dinosaurs and was just working on a team to introduce a few more."

"Yeah. I had to leave the team before they could release the new Gallimimus, but at least I was able to go with the transport and I hear the Hypsilophodons are settling in," Harry said, knowing he wasn't supposed to mention Isla Sorna.

Dr Grant and Dr Sattler were paying attention to him now. Dr Grant cocked an eyebrow. "Gallimimus?"

"Six more. Herd should be about twenty now," Harry told him. "They act a lot like gazelle."

"That's not what the top researchers are saying," Dr Grant said, sounding more intrigued than anything else towards Harry.

"Like I said, Dr Grant. Some of your information is out of date," Harry replied. He could see Mr Hammond giving him an approving nod.

"My research is out of date?" Dr Grant asked, sounding amused. Dr Sattler was looking just as intrigued.

"Well, maybe more like ill informed? I have spent time over the last four and a half months studying the Edomontosaurus and Parasaurolophus in the valley. They are very social groups, but don't really like to spend time in the water and both tend to have a dominant female. The edomontosaurus are more active in the morning and dusk, while the paras like the day, and get along better with the diplodocus," Harry said, happy to talk about this with the man.

"Fascinating. And how do they get along with the local wildlife?"

Harry shrugged. "There are really only birds. Dr Timmons says that the dinosaurs don't really bother them, except the raptors and dilophosaurus."

"That is very interesting. Ellie what do you make of this?" Dr Grant said. "The raptors. We haven't seen them yet. How fast are they?"

"They run about twenty miles an hour but can sprint like a cheetah. Muldoon has let me watch them hunt when they let a cow into the paddock a few times. They hunt in packs," Harry told them. He was not keen to think what might happen if they get out.

"And do they use their claws to slice open the animal?" Dr Grant asked excitedly.

Harry shook his head, his stomach growling as a plate of food was put before him. "No. They like to jump on its back, sinking it's claw into the cow and go for the back of its neck."

"Will we get to see that?" Grant asked, obviously excited now.

Dr Sattler looked like she couldn't decide if she wanted to or not. "As interesting as that is, will we have time?"

"You are all my guests for the next three days, longer if you wish. There will be a tour around the island in the morning. I have a few more guests coming this afternoon, but Muldoon and Dr Timmons and Harding were going to do some field work if you want to go out," Mr Hammond offered.

"John, we only have a little over sixty hours left to assess the safety measures and viability. Do you have a profit estimate for all these attractions you are showing on these screens?" Mr Gennaro asked, pointing to commercials and posters being projected on the walls. "The investors I represent will want to hear of this marvellous place but need to know they will get a return on their investments. There has been very little to date."

"Easy, Donald. I have given all my projections to the board, and I know they are going out to the investors next week. I will get you a pre-release if you need," Mr Hammond told the lawyer.

"This is very unpredictable. There is no way you have control over this," Dr Malcolm said loudly over the two conversations.

Harry looked at the man, unhappy to disrupt his conversation. "Who said we have control?" Harry asked. This caught the attention of everyone. For the first time, Mr Hammond looked at Harry a little hard.

"John has been touting the controls and countermeasures that are in place to control the dinosaurs," Dr Malcolm said, a smile on his face like a shark going for the kill. "Are you saying that he doesn't?"

Harry laughed. He had been around creatures and dinosaurs enough now to know they didn't control these wild beasts. "I would not say we control them. The dinosaurs are living beasts that Dr Timmons and Muldoon say we are still learning about. We have found countermeasures, methods of containment, ways to track them. Mr Arnold has shown me how the cameras, radio trackers and motion sensors keep track of the animals, but it is not control, Dr Malcolm. Muldoon, the guards and the animal handlers have a full-time job to keep the dinosaurs from escaping, but in all that, we are learning how to let them live while we contain them."

"You sound just like Muldoon and Timmons," Mr Hammond grumbled.

Harry gave a smile. "Thank you, Mr Hammond."

Dr Malcolm gave a grudging nod. "John, if you don't hire this kid when he is old enough, I might steal him to work on my modelling," Dr Malcolm said.

Mr Hammond shook his head. "Harry, finish up. My personal guests will be arriving in a bit, and I would like you to greet them."

"Can you tell us about the Tyrannosaurus Rex?" Dr Sattler asked, her enthusiasm just as palatable as Dr Grant's. "Are there more extinct species of plants in the exhibits?"

"Which one? Rexy or Romilda?" Harry asked.

"You have two? Do they run as fast as some of the models indicate? How about their diet?" Dr Grant asked.

Harry had to eat fast when Rogers interrupted them. Harry was a little sad to say goodbye. The three doctors were going to go with Dr Timmons and Harding for the afternoon while Genaro was going to stay and talk business with Mr Hammond.

As they walked out to the jeep, Harry was smiling. "Have a good lunch? You looked pretty upset when I dropped you off earlier."

"That was wicked," Harry said, very happy to meet one of the foremost palaeontologists and Dr Sattler. He might have to look her up later.

Roberts chuckled. "Well, I hope you like the next guests then."

Harry raised an eyebrow. "More palaeontologists?"

"Not exactly," he said as they went through the gate house of the Visitor Center.

"Then who?"

"I was instructed to keep it a surprise."

Harry huffed as they drove over the high road, and he looked towards the valley. The six brachiosauruses were walking through the grassy plain towards the lake. He really did love living here. His plan to take his ninth-grade tests in December was starting to sound less enticing. It was only Lex that had him looking forward to it. It would also mean that Harry wouldn't be able to go with Sirius when he went to investigate other magical places when he was in school. That would be a small price to pay to be with Lex.

They were silent as they took off on the side road to the helicopter pad. They pulled up a few minutes before they could hear it coming up the valley. Harry turned to see the white helicopter with the blue InGen logo. Harry was looking forward to seeing it carry a Jurassic Park logo in the future. They watched it land, the dark windows not letting Harry see in, but he had a suspicion when he felt his magic pull at something

It was only when the rotors had slowed and the pilot got out to open the doors, did he realize that the people inside contained the girl he had just been thinking about.

"Harry!" Lex called out, jumping out of the helicopter and running towards him. The jean shorts and the purple top moved in the right ways to catch his eye and to show her nice legs. "Lex!" he exclaimed, running to meet her. She jumped at him, and he spun when he caught her.

She laughed and pulled herself to him, planting her lips on his. Harry met hers with a crushing force that would probably bruise both their lips, but he didn't care.

Someone made a gagging sound. "That is disgusting," Tim said, just about echoing the last thing he had said to Harry when they left Martha's Vineyard.

Lex pulled back, her legs still up and arms wrapped strongly around his neck as she leaned her forehead against his. "Get lost, Timmy," she said sounding annoyed, before saying in a lower tone that sent a shiver through him, "I missed you."

"I missed you too," Harry said, realizing how much he really had now that she was in his arms Tim made another gagging sound.

"That is enough for both of you. Grandpa invited us here to have a nice weekend and to look at the island," Ms Murphy said.

Lex slid down him to put her feet down. Harry didn't miss how her curves moved with her, his heart speeding up some.

"Hello, Ms Murphy," Harry said, a huge smile on his face as he turned to her.

"Hi, Harry. I see that you and Lex have reacquainted yourselves," the woman said with a smirk. Harry still noticed the pinch to her eyes. Lex had told him how her mother seemed to be struggling with the fact she was a witch. Harry thought that was resolved, but apparently not. Harry knew that some muggle parents had a hard time coping with that knowledge, and the church here made it worse.

"Can we go find grandpa? He said that he has a big surprise for us," Tim said excitedly.

"If you want, we can head back to the Visitor Center," Roberts said. "Or, I have permission to go through the valley."

Harry felt a little nervous about that. "Are you sure? Muldoon said he only wants groups of two jeeps going in there."

Roberts smiled. "Muldoon said you and I would be able to handle things."

Harry smiled, but still felt nervous. They hadn't figured out yet what had made the Ankylosaurs so aggressive that day.

"What is in the valley?" Lex asked, still holding onto his hand.

"A surprise," Harry told her, dying to see her and Tim's reactions.

"One I will like?" Lex asked.

"I think the two of you can dial it down for a bit. You may make Tim sick," Ms Murphy said with a chuckle as they moved towards the jeep.

"It will be a little tight with the three of you in the back. Get out the tranq guns before we go," Rogers told him.

"Sure," Harry said, starting to walk. Lex took his hand in both of hers, as though afraid he would run away. Harry liked to have her so close to him. He thought at one time that showing affection like this would be too sappy but having been able to be more of a normal teen, and just needing the company of someone his age, he found he liked it.

"Why do you need tranquilizer guns?" Ms Murphy asked. Her joviality of watching her sixteen-year-old daughter acting the way she was forgotten. There was something that had Harry wondering if she knew about the dinosaurs.

"Some of the local wildlife can be rather large or ornery," Rogers replied.

Tim climbed into the jeep, as did their mum. Lex leaned over and kissed his cheek. "Do I finally get to find out what you have been doing here? Does it involve your magic?"

Harry went to shush her. Tim didn't know anything about that. "Shhh."

"Tim isn't paying attention. Will I get any time with you tonight?"

Harry felt his neck heat a little. "I hope so. It's not about our... you know."

Opening the metal box in the back, he found it held two tranq guns and a rifle. He took out one of the guns. "Should I take out the rifle?"

"Yeah. Pass it up here. I can put it in the rack," Rogers told him.

Harry took it out, made sure his magazine was full, took another and then handed the air rifle up front with a belt holding six darts. "Are you sure we should be going where we are?" Ms Murphy asked apprehensively.

Tim, on the other hand, was looking excited. "Where are we going? Can I have a gun?"

"NO," Ms Murphy said a little harshly.

Lex looked at him. "Should I be concerned?"

"Not at all," Harry said. He helped Lex into the middle, where she slid over to press into him when he climbed in.

"Everyone hold on," Rogers said, backing the jeep up to turn around and then taking off towards the high road.

"How are you, Harry?" Ms Murphy asked.

Harry smiled as Lex entwined her fingers in his. "Very good, Ms Murphy," he replied, his irritation at being removed from the Galli's release now forgotten between the lunch and his girlfriend pressing against him. He hadn't realized how much he really missed her until her body was against his. It also brought back the feelings of that last night together on Martha's Vineyard.

"This is where grandpa has kept you? It's beautiful here," Lex said.

"Where is the surprise?" Tim asked.

Lex rolled her eyes at her brother. "Grandpa said there would be one."

"Yes, I am rather curious. My father usually isn't as quiet or mysterious about his projects," Ms Murphy replied.

"You'll see in just a moment. We'll be to the gate in a few minutes," Harry told them.

"What gate?" Tim asked.

"A big one," Harry said, earning questioning looks from Lex and her mother.

The access road to the south gate of the valley rarely shown the common areas where most of the dinosaurs congregated. Today, though, Tim gasped as they approached the fences. "It's an Ankylosaur!" Tim shouted, drawing Lex's and her mother's gaze back out the front window.

Roger brought the car to a stop a few hundred feet from the fence. Tim jumped out.

"Timmy!" their mother shouted as he ran towards the fences and gate.

"Shite!" Harry exclaimed, throwing open his own door and jumping out. Lex gave out a squawk as she tumbled, almost falling out of the jeep. "Tim! NO!" he shouted.

This caused Tim to stumbled just enough for Harry to reach him before he had grabbed the fence to get a better view of the group. Harry wrapped an arm around the boy's midsection and yanked him back.

"Don't ever touch the fences!" Harry yelled at the eleven-year-old-boy. He pointed to the sign. "Ten-thousand volts is enough to knock out an Ankylosaurus. That's enough to kill you. When those red lights are on, the fences are too."

Tim shied back, pressing into Harry. "I didn't know."

Ms Murphy had rushed up to them, followed by Lex. Roger had gotten out, took up the rifle and walked more sedately. "Good catch," Rogers said to Harry.

"I didn't know," Tim repeated as Ms Murphy took him into her arms.

At all the ruckus, one of the Ankylosaurs banged its tail on the ground in warning. Harry looked up at it, cautious to see what it was doing. There were four adults. Their bodies were the size of the jeep, not counting the tails or the giant bony club at the end of its tail or the spikes on its side.

It wasn't the sight of the adults that caught his attention. Around their feet were six, much smaller ankylosaurs. Harry had not seen any babies in the labs or rearing pens, nor had he heard of or been part of releasing any into the wild. That, and the fact they looked maybe a few weeks old. Far smaller and younger than he knew the staff to release into the park.

Rogers was looking at them too, the same surprise on his face.

"Rogers, did I miss a release?" Harry asked.

"Not that I know of," the man replied, moving a little closer to the fence.

The ankylosaur called out to them, banging its tail on the ground again. The other three moved the babies into the centre of them.

"Can you call the Control Room?" Harry asked. "Maybe Mr Arnold can tell us if we missed something or give a count?"

"Yeah, I can do that," the man said, walking back to the jeep to get a radio.

"Are those actual dinosaurs?" Tim asked, the sense of wonder coming back into his voice after the scare.

Lex came up to him, putting him between her and the agitated ankylosaurs. Harry had a sinking feeling that he knew why the workmen had been attacked a few weeks ago. "They are huge," Lex said.

"My God. Dad has talked about something like this for years. He was fool enough to do it," Ms Murphy said.

Harry looked to her. "You knew?"

"I knew he was trying something like this. He always said he wanted to carry out my mother's last wishes. That was why I never wanted to work with him. If they were extinct, there must be a reason why," she said, a little bit of horror in her voice. The radio crackled as Rogers came back.

"No. I am counting four adults and six young ones. Over," Roger said into the radio.

"And what poll are you by?" the crackly voice of Mr Arnold asked.

Rogers looked up. "South gate of the Valley. Pole two-eighty-seven."

There was a silence for a long moment.

"Dad, you are such a fool," Ms Murphy said as Tim stood tall and walked a little towards the fence but giving it a wide birth.

"They are forming a protective circle, just like some of the scientist thought they would," Tim observed.

The largest ankylosaur yelled at them again, banged its tail and then started to shuffle away. Whenever one of the babies would try to leave to the circle, they would be herded back in. "They are protecting their babies," Lex whispered.

"Rogers, can you confirm one more time how many you see?"

"Four adults and six babies," Rogers replied.

Mr Arnold came back. "Confirm one more time? You are sure it is pole two-eighty-seven?"

"Yes, damn it. When were the babies released, over?" Rogers asked, getting irritated.

There was a very long pause this time. Long enough that Rogers spoke into the radio. "Ray, what is going on?" When a reply didn't come, Rogers looked agitated. "Ray?"

"Rogers, get everyone back to the centre," Mr Arnold told him. "Code Blue three."

Rogers didn't hesitate, showing his military background when a ranking officer gave you an order. "Roger that," he first said into the radio. "Right, everyone back into the jeep. The safari is cancelled for now."

"Can I touch one?" Tim asked, totally taken with the ankylosaurs as they moved away, now more interested in their family than them.

"Is that safe?" Lex asked, sounding a little afraid.

"Only if they are tranquilized. Come on," Harry said to her as Ms Murphy corralled Tim towards the car against his protests to keep watching the ankylosaurs. Rogers had hefted the rifle, ready to cover them, and got into the jeep last. When he turned the jeep around, he gunned it into reverse, making Lex give out a small scream and everyone inside to bounce around.

When he gunned the engine, the jeep's tires spun out and left ruts in the grass on the side of the dirt road. Lex looked really concerned. "Why are we speeding like this?"

"Code Blue three means everyone needs to get back to a protected area immediately," Harry told her.

"Those babies weren't supposed to be there, were they?" Ms Murphy asked pointedly to Harry and Rogers.

"No, ma'am. I don't think they were," Rogers said.

Harry just shook his head.

As they rushed back, the daily afternoon storms were starting to drift over the island. Thunder could be heard in the distance.

-oOo-

If anyone wants to join me on Discord, just go to my profile and get the link to the Emerald Library. The long break in publishing is due to work and life. Three out of four weeks in August of 2022 I was traveling, and the one week I was not, was used up preparing for travel. Then to catch up after being on the road for so long… Now that things have settled, let the story continue.

Next Chapter: 'Control' of Jurassic Park