[recs] Harry Potter/Stargate Ficcing
Some wonderful, anonymous person has been slowly writting me Harry Potter/Stargate fic ever since the Valentine's Day Love Meme. It's so great! It's Harry/Luna, and Ron/Hermione, and Ginny's their semi-grouchy mechanic! She knows Muggle technology, which is so adorable. (Me and my daddy's girl thing love that
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"What do you mean?" Teyla asked, fueling Rodney's rant.
"Wormhole Xtreme's sequel. A thankfully short-lived television program."
"The box," Ronon said as though that explained everything.
"What is on this program?" Teyla asked.
"Everything!" Rodney flung his hand out, nearly throwing a small square of meat into Ronon's hair. "The SGC authorized the show for plausibility deniability or some rot. Complete waste of resources if you ask me. Anyway, one of our 'magical' guests has seen the show and so knows about the Wraith and basically everything else to some degree. He actually asked me if I was the basis for Dr. McCoy!"
Doctor McCoy? Ronon mouthed to Teyla. She shook her head and hid a smile from Rodney. "How did they respond to the news about the Wraith?" she asked.
Rodney laughed drily. "You'll never believe it," he said. "They want to help. Honestly, what do they think they could possibly do that we haven't already done?"
"Use magic?" Ronon asked.
Rodney rolled his eyes. "Right. And then rainbows will come down and recharge our ZPMs at which point we will fly through the galaxy leaving sunshine and roses in our wake." Rodney shoved another bite of food into his mouth and Teyla turned the conversation toward their upcoming mission.
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After the war ended, everyone had been elated. Families clumped together and rejoiced. Luna remembered Harry sitting alone, relieved, but still agitated, and she remembered providing him with an escape.
At first, everything had gone well. Harry and Ginny started dating once more and Harry seemed happy. Luna was getting ready to go to Africa on an expedition when the curse first hit. Voldemort's revenge some called it. Others pointed to a strange influenza. Whatever the cause, the result was the same: several young men and women were suddenly unable to reliably use their magic. Terry Boot, Susan Bones, Charlie Weasley, and many others, including Harry. It was during this time, when the curse was being discovered, that Ginny ran away and Harry fell apart.
Without his magic, he was no longer able to help with the rebuilding of the wizarding world. Instead he became a trophy, a living remembrance of victory, and he became a burden, an embarrassment to fix as quickly as possible. Everyone had a cure, but none worked.
Luna remembered going by Harry's flat shortly before her rescheduled leave to pick up some books Ginny had promised to lend her once and finding Harry by himself sitting in the dark. He had been drinking, which is likely the only reason he told her his dream.
After we beat Voldemort, I thought that was it. I was ready to have a normal life. I had this vision of the future, maybe 20 years ahead. Ron and Hermione were married, of course, and so were Ginny and I. We all had kids. Two boys and a girl for me. I always wanted a big family. And I named them after all the important people. My parents and Dumbledore, even Snape. And we were at King's Cross and everything was perfect. Ron worked with me as an Auror or maybe with George in his joke shop; I don't know. He'd trailed off and then looked at her, his eyes as dull as a golem's. Ginny's gone. My magic's gone.
And she had said, Come with me.
And he had.
Now Harry was alive again. Luna had hoped the challenge of space would revive him, but she had not counted upon another impossible, epic fight. She did not think the Wraith could be defeated by another mistake of wands.
But she couldn't take anything more away from Harry.
They argued, all of them, through the night after Harry told Elizabeth he wanted to help and in the end, Harry said the only thing that could sway her. "Please." And Luna heard, Please, let me be useful again. Please, let me do something worthwhile. Please, let me stay here and fly. Please.
And so she said the only thing she could. "All right."
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Now Harry was alive again. Luna had hoped the challenge of space would revive him, but she had not counted upon another impossible, epic fight. She did not think the Wraith could be defeated by another mistake of wands.
But she couldn't take anything more away from Harry.
They argued, all of them, through the night after Harry told Elizabeth he wanted to help and in the end, Harry said the only thing that could sway her. "Please." And Luna heard, Please, let me be useful again. Please, let me do something worthwhile. Please, let me stay here and fly. Please.
And so she said the only thing she could. "All right."
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Ginny was sequestered in the labs and Hermione occasionally saw her at meals typing at a laptop she'd begged off someone or arguing with Dr. McKay. McKay had focused in on Ginny as the only one of their group with some knowledge he could understand and seemed to hold her personally responsible for explaining the impossibilities of magic.
Hermione had not seen Harry or Luna for days. They had always just left when she went to a meal or came shortly after she finished. Hermione had the odd feeling that Luna was orchestrating all these near misses, but she could not understand why Luna would be isolating Harry now after working so hard to get them all back together.
She just wished they could start working together again. While Hermione loved exploring the knowledge in Atlantis, she wanted to be researching the Wraith and making plans. She hated feeling so boxed in.
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Just a smidge of tell to get me a bit on track again.
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Thank you again; this is really wonderful!
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"Oh, right," the anthropologist said again, his voice as placating as ever. Ron had shown the man magic, had had his story vouched for by the woman Hermione was working with, had done everything he could think of and yet this infuriating man still acted as though magic were all in Ron's head.
Ron shook his head and stood up. "Excuse me." He noticed Hermione glancing toward him as he left the room and was not surprised when he soon heard her footsteps behind him.
"What was that about?" Hermione asked.
"Let's go home," Ron said.
"Ron, we can't."
"Right. Of course. We have to save the universe again." He slumped back against a wall.
"I thought you wanted to do this," Hermione said.
"Well, yes, but that was before I realized that 'this' would consist primarily of walking these people step-by-step through the magical process." Ron pulled a wrinkled piece of parchment from his back pocket and handed it to Hermione. "I've been trying to remember more from the telly program, but I've only seen a few episodes really. Even so, if what I am remembering is all true, this place is extremely dangerous."
"We knew that."
"Yes, but this isn't like You-Know-Who." Ron pushed off the wall and began walking back and forth. "The Wraith aren't organized around one central figure like the Deatheaters were. Instead, each hive is like a whole Deatheater group along with a Voldemort. While each hive centers around a queen, if that queen is killed, a drone can take over."
"Ron--"
"Don't you get it? There will be no end to this war. The hives adapt so that what works with one will most likely not work with the second. There will be no one final battle."
"Ron."
"We're trapped. If we try to help, we'll never be able t--"
"Ron!" Ron stopped and finally turned to Hermione. "I know this," she said. "You've already explained once before. I don't want to stay forever either, but we can't do nothing."
"Nothing is exactly what we're doing right now. Tell me, how does explaining the genealogy of Rowena Ravenclaw help defeat the Wraith?"
"It doesn't. We should find Harry." Hermione held out her hand to Ron and, sighing, he took it. Together they made their way toward the central tower.
--
Ginny ran through her schematics again. "This is fantastic," she said.
"Of course it is," Rodney said with a sniff. Ginny rolled her eyes and took down some notes on the parchpad she'd brought with her. "What are you doing?"
"Taking notes," Ginny said. The level of technology on Atlantis was truly fascinating. Of course the Muggle tech was great, but what truly captivated Ginny was the Ancient tech-- the blend of architecture, function, technology, and design was amazing. While she was certain McKay would disagree, Ginny believe many of the technologies were only possible within Atlantis, within their current architecture. Would the Rings work if they were squares? Ginny thought not.
She could spend a lifetime studying Atlantis, the interconnections, and teasing out the magical elements overlooked or suppressed by time and expedition. So much of how the technology in Atlantis was designed had been based upon magical concepts. In many ways this city was exactly what James had described when he had first told her of Mechamancy. She just wished she could show the Neutrons; they'd appreciate Atlantis far better than any of its current occupants did.
Ginny scrolled down the page on her computer. Honestly, the entire city was a Mechamancer's paradise.
--
Luna sat down across from Ronon at lunch. "Teach me," she said.
"What?"
"To fight," Luna answered.
"Why?" Ronon asked, eating the last of his potatoes.
"Because magic doesn't always work? Because I think I will be here a long time and I should know how? Because I want to know."
"You got time for that?"
"Everyday before breakfast. You're up then as well, aren't you?"
"Yeah," Ronon said. "All right. But if you don't show up, we're done."
Luna smiled. "Agreed." And she started to eat.
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"Accident," Luna said.
"No. Why'd you leave your planet?"
Luna laid back. The sun had risen and glass cast a kaleidescope of colors onto the training room floor and walls. "Harry spent all of his life fighting. Before he came to school, he fought family. After starting school he fought the most evil wizard of our time, classmates, teachers, and his family. He even had to die once. Afterward..." She trailed off. They'd not told anyone about the disease yet.
Ronon nodded. He seemed troubled as though remembering something. "I understand," he said and by the way he said it, Luna knew he did.
Maybe she should convince Harry to start joining her in the mornings.
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"You don't understand, Harry," Ron said. "This fight will never end."
Privately Luna thought Ron was right and that Harry knew it as well. She assumed that was one reason the fight so appealed to Harry. So awkward afterwards, always something new to work toward. He wasn't the Chosen One this time; he wouldn't be singled out afterward. He wasn't a Hero, just one of the many who were trying to win. Luna kept her mouth shut, though.
Hermione rubbed Ron's shoulder in encouragement, but refused to meet Harry's gaze. Traitor, Luna thought, half-smiling, and then frowned as her stick hit the floor.
Harry winced at the noise and glanced to her. "Luna, what do you think?"
She shrugged. "I think Wraith can't regenerate lost limbs."
"If you don't want to take sides, Luna--"
Luna shot Ron an angry look and he quieted. She continued, "I think magic is more long-range than knives."
Hermione's hand stilled and her eyes widened. "We could do that," she said. "Use severing curses to cut off their hands."
"If the Killing Curse doesn't work as we suspect it won't," Luna added. "I think we can do things the Muggles here cannot; we could turn the tide." Harry gave Ron a triumphant look, but Luna wasn't done. "But Ron is right; We won't win this war, Harry."
She looked at him, her face still without any judgment or hints. "Do you want to stay here, Harry?"
Harry looked away. "I don't know."
"Ron?" Luna asked.
"No," he said. "I want to go home."
"Me too," Hermione said. "I've already spent too much time away from my parents. And, I want to study the Veil more, try to figure out how and why it works. I miss my books, Harry; and, I miss not having to explain every speck of magic to people who think I am a liar."
"What about you, Luna?" Harry asked.
Luna smiled. "Here or there," she said. "I can do much in either place."
Harry nodded, stood, and left the room.
Ron let out a deep breath. "Well, that went well, don't you think?"
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Eventually he found a balcony and he collapsed against it, angry, tired, and hurting. Ron didn't understand that he couldn't go back. He couldn't stand seeing George and remembering that he had not been able to save Fred. He hated visiting Teddy and knowing that the child would grow up an orphan as he had. He had nightmares about the battle and the aftermath, all the people who had called him Hero and all those who said he hadn't done enough. He was the Chosen One; why hadn't he saved everyone?
He couldn't do it.
"Harry?"
Harry spun around quickly, his hand sliding back toward his wand by reflex. Ronon stared at his stance with some amusement before joining him against the balcony.
"You're tense."
Harry nodded. "Yeah."
"Your Luna is doing well. Teyla's teaching her bantos."
"I saw." Ronon nodded and then just looked out over the waves crashing rhythmically below. Harry sighed. "They want to leave."
"They?"
"Hermione and Ron."
"This isn't their fight."
Harry turned away from the ocean and leaned back against the balcony. He looked as high up Atlantis as he could. "How can they say that?" he asked. At first he didn't think Ronon would answer, but then Ronon pushed away from the balcony ledge.
"Come on. Let me show you something."
Harry followed Ronon into the residential section of Atlantis. Ronon beckoned him into one of the rooms. The room was filled with weapons, gun schematics, and odd art pieces that ought to have been ill-fitting, but weren't. Ronon went to one of the shelves and pulled out a small plastic case with an odd piece of machinery in it.
"What's that?"
Ronon tossed it to him. "For seven years one of those was in my back. It told the Wraith where I was. For seven years I did nothing but eat, run, and fight. People died because of me. The people here saved me and told me I could pick where I went next. I could go, farm, study, whatever I wanted; or, I could stay."
"You stayed."
"Before that--" he pointed to the device in Harry's hands, "--I would have gone. I was getting married, going to start a life."
"But afterward," Harry said, "You can't stop. You can't sit still. They don't need me anymore. I can do good here."
Ronon took the box back and replaced it on the shelf. "Then do it. You remember anything from the last time your girlfriend got you to the practice room?"
"Some."
"Race you there."
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"If you would just look at the calculations," Ginny said, "you would see that I am correct."
"Half of those so-called equations is nothing but fictional mumbo-jumbo."
"It is not!"
Radek hid his smile behind the monitor of his laptop.
"Who's winning?" Lorne asked as he slipped into the room, unnoticed by the pair arguing in the center.
"At the moment," Radek said, "I am. They don't realize that yet."
"They fight like this often?"
"Not really."
"What he means," another scientist said as he leaned toward Lorne, "is that he and Dr. McKay still bicker more. The girl usually keeps her mouth shut and does her own thing."
"So what's the fight about?"
Radek looked up, his eyes bright with mirth. "Architecture," he said and he turned back to his computer.
Lorne looked at the pair. "Right. Well, I was just sent to get Ms. Weasley. Elizabeth wishes to talk with her. Could you--?"
Radek rolled his eyes. "Rodney."
"Not now, Radek. I am not yet finished explaining to this utter moron exactly how--"
"She's right."
"Ha!"
"What?"
"Come, see."
Rodney stalked over to the computer and began muttering as he read through it. Ginny moved to join them, but Lorne tapped her on the shoulder. "Elizabeth needs to see you."
She glanced at the pair and then followed Lorne inward to Elizabeth's office.
Elizabeth smiled when she reached the room and motioned for Ginny to sit.
"I will go straight the point," Elizabeth said. "Some of your party has expressed a desire to return to Earth. They have signed confidentiality papers and will return when the Daedalus leaves for Earth next week."
"Who?" Ginny asked.
"You will have to ask them. What I need to know from you is whether or not you wish to go as well. Several of our marines are returning to Earth next week and so space is limited. I need to know soon whether or not I need to allocate space for you."
"I-- I need to think."
"Please do. That is all."
Ginny left the office in a daze and walked back down to the labs. "She wanted to know if I was leaving."
"What?" Radek asked. "I could not hear over Rodney's blathering."
"Blathering!"
"She wanted to know if I was leaving. Next week."
"Are you?" Radek asked.
"I didn't authorize any returns," Rodney said.
Ginny smiled. "But I don't work for you." She sighed. "I don't know."
"While you think about it, come over here and explain your inane theory once more."
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"You leaving, too?" Harry asked.
Ginny slid her laptop bag off her shoulder. "I don't know. They won't let me work on this when I return to Earth and I had wanted to bring Mechamancy back to England eventually."
"So, you're leaving."
"No," Ginny said, shaking her head. All day since Elizabeth had mentioned the possibility to her, she'd been thinking about it. She tried to imagine a life for herself on Earth and couldn't. She missed her parents, but she was used to being cut off from them. Her friends had all moved on in their lives. England was still re-building and would not need her work for a while to come. Nothing was waiting for her and Atlantis, the marvel it was, was here. "I'm staying." She had already told Elizabeth and had started making plans with Luna.
"The science is that good?" Ron asked.
Ginny turned, surprised. She hadn't heard Ron enter the room. He looked... resigned. "Yes," Ginny said, "It is. I will visit, though."
"Oh?"
"In fact, I will be returning to Earth with you this time. I am going to pack up what I will be needing. I talked with Luna and she's making me a list of items to pack for her and Harry. I'll say good-bye this time."
"You'll write?"
Ginny smiled. "Of course." Ron crossed toward her and wrapped her into a tight hug.
"I'm sorry," he said."
"Me too."
A few mornings before the return, Harry, Hermione, and Ron stole some food from the kitchens and took them out to a balcony to eat as a picnic. They talked about school, about what the science department at Atlantis would do with Wheezes, about anything but the ship waiting to pull them apart.
When they finished and were packing up their trays and debris, Harry did not ask them to stay nor did they try to convince him to go. Instead, Harry only said, "I am glad I met you. You are my best friends."
Hermione's eyes blurred and she threw her arms around his neck. "Oh, Harry," she said, "Your ours, too."
Ron smiled. "I'll miss you."
"Don't name any kids after me," Harry warned.
"Only if you promise to visit occasionally."
Harry grinned, wide and free from shadows. "Deal." He held out his hand. Ron shook it and pulled him into a hug.
~End~
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