HP/DW: Clarke's Third Law (17.2/20)
Summary: Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic. So what happens when witch meets scientist, and each tries to teach the other about their brand of magic? Things become a tad confusing. And more than a bit fantastic. Doctor/Rose
Disclaimer: I don't own Doctor Who or Harry Potter. I'm not nearly that brilliant.
Note: Rewrites of Rise of the Cybermen and Age of Steel.
(Chapter 16 part 1 here)
Chapter 16 (Part 2): Cybermen
Unbeknownst to Hugo, Rose was surprisingly close. Emerging from the back of the house, she took several deep breaths, letting the cool air fill her lungs. She wrapped her arms around herself tightly and let out a sniffle.
“Hello?” called a voice from the back porch. Rose jumped, not realizing that somebody was out there. A small light appeared as somebody lit their wand. Rose recognized the face of her Uncle Fred almost immediately.
“Sorry,” she said quickly. “I didn’t realize anybody was out here. I’ll be going now-”
“No, no,” Fred assured. “Stay. You’re fine. I’m Fred, by the way. Fred Weasley.”
“Yea, I know who you are,” Rose said. “I’m Rose.”
She shuffled a bit closer, hesitant. Fred patted the seat next to him and, after a second, she sat down delicately next to him, keeping her eyes down.
“Are you okay?” Fred asked unsurely.
“Yea, fine.” Rose said quickly. “I just needed some air.”
“I know what you mean,” Fred said with a laugh. “It’s stuffier than an old bookstore in there.”
Rose giggled. “It’s your party. I’m surprised you aren’t in there-”
“Schmoozing?” Fred asked.
“No!” Rose squeaked. “No! I didn’t mean it like that!”
“I know you didn’t,” Fred replied easily. “No need to get so worked up.”
“Sorry,” Rose winced. “I just had a run in with your brother-”
“And he chewed you out,” Fred finished apologetically. Rose remembered how Uncle George would say that he and Fred used to finish each other’s sentences. Rose knew how much her Uncle back home missed it.
Considering their relationship in this world, Rose wondered if Uncle Fred missed it, too.
“I’m sorry. He can be a bit uptight,” Fred continued sadly.
Rose frowned. “I’m guessing he wasn’t always like that?”
“He wasn’t,” Fred agreed. He grinned ruefully. “We used to have such a good time at school. Pulling pranks, playing Quidditch, goofing off.”
“Sounds like a blast,” Rose said.
Fred nodded. “It was. We were so excited to open up the shop.”
“And then things started getting complicated?” guessed Rose.
“Exactly,” Fred sighed, looking out into the backyard. “He kept wanting to expand. More. More. More. He lost sight of why we started Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes in the first place. He’s not the brother I grew up with.”
Fred looked over his shoulder through the window. He watched quietly as his brother laughed heartily at something the President said. George placed an arm around Angelina’s shoulders and Fred outwardly winced.
Rose noticed.
“I’m guessing that’s not the only reason you two are splitting up?”
“How did you know that?” frowned Fred. Rose stuttered, guilty, but Fred just waved it off. “Stupid question. My relationship with my brother has been the talk of the town, and you’re right. It’s not the only reason.”
Fred was quiet for a second. “Angelina and I used to date, back in school. Then she left me for George.”
Rose made a face. “That’s a bit weird, ain’t it?” Then she softened her words by adding jokingly, “You are the better looking one, after all.”
“I know, right!” Fred said shocked. He sobered. “Don’t get me wrong. They’ve given me a lovely niece-”
“Niece?” Rose frowned.
“Freema,” Fred explained. “I love her more than anything and I’m thrilled that they’re happy together.”
“But sometimes you just wonder what it would be like if things were different.” Rose finished for him
sympathetically. “I know what you mean.”
“Oh?” Fred asked, raising an eyebrow. “Do tell!”
At his imploring expression, Rose blushed. “I’ve got this friend, see? Best friend actually. And I’m sort of-”
“In love with him?” Fred teased. Then he frowned. “Or is it a her? You never can tell these days, can you?”
“No, he’s a him!” Rose laughed. She fiddled with her hands. “We’re just so close. I don’t want to mess things up. And I know he doesn’t do relationships, not really. It’s just that sometimes he looks at me in a certain way or says something and I just think that maybe... but then he goes off and does something and it just reminds me that he’s not interested.”
Fred sighed. “In love with people who will probably never love us back.”
“We’re pathetic,” Rose agreed.
Fred looked at her curiously. “It’s weird. We’ve just met, but I feel like I know you. Why do I feel like that?”
Rose went to stutter out an explanation. “I guess I just have one of those faces-”
“Oi!” called a familiar voice from the yard. Rose turned and saw Hugo running towards her as fast as she could.
Before she could respond, Fred was running right towards Hugo. “Hugo! Hugo you’re alright! You came back!”
Fred threw his arms around her brother and hugged him tightly. Rose, who had been going to meet him, slowed, realizing that this person might very well be the parallel version of Hugo. The panicked expression he threw her over Fred’s shoulder assured her that he was, as a matter of fact, her brother.
“Where have you been?” Fred suddenly demanded, shoving Hugo away from him, gripping him firmly by the shoulders. Hugo stuttered.
“It’s a long story,” he said finally, “and it can wait.”
He turned to Rose. “Rose, we need to find the Doctor and get out of here. I don’t have time to explain, but I will I promise. There’s something going on here, more than you know. These people need help. They need the Doctor.”
“Why what’s going on?” Rose demanded.
“There were these big, metal, things, Rose! I saw them! They were unloading them from the trucks. Dozens of them.”
“Big, metal, things” instantly brought only one thing to mind.
“Daleks?” she demanded. “Were they Daleks?”
“I don’t know!” huffed Hugo. “What do Daleks even look like?”
“A pepper pot on steroids,” Rose answered immediately. Hugo wrinkled his nose but then shook his head.
“No, they definitely didn’t look like that.”
“Okay,” Rose assured him, breathing a sigh of relief. “The Doctor was inside serving food the last time I checked-”
“Really?” Hugo asked. He tried to imagine the Doctor serving food to a room of rich and snobby wizards.
“He thought that it would be the best way to get information.” Rose explained.
Fred interrupted and asked Hugo “I’m sorry, but do you know her?” He pointed at Rose, obviously disbelieving and not caring that it was rude. Rose batted his finger away.
“Of course I know her,” Hugo replied without thinking. “She’s my sister.”
“Your sister?” cried Fred.
“It’s complicated,” Hugo began, obviously about to try and explain everything to him. Rose tugged on his arm.
“Hugo!” she demanded. “This was urgent a moment ago!”
“Right,” Hugo said, “We need to find the Doctor!”
Rose pulled both him and Fred into the house. She scowled when she realized that the Doctor was no longer in the main room. She turned to Hugo.
“You take the dining room. I’ll take the kitchen.” Rose turned to Fred, who still looked completely bewildered.
“Uncle Fred, you come with me.”
She tugged him along, ignoring the bewildered look of the guests, and barreled into the kitchen. Rose stood on her tiptoes, trying to make out the familiar tuft of messy, brown, hair.
“So you’re Hugo’s sister?” demanded Fred. “But Ron and Hermione would never give up a child.”
“They didn’t,” Rose denied.
“But Hugo said-”
“I know what Hugo said,” she snapped, annoyed that the Doctor was nowhere in sight. She had no idea what was going on, but she had never seen Hugo looking so worried. “It’s complicated, alright. We’ll explain everything,
though. Maybe. But right now, we really need to find the Doctor.”
“He the bloke you fancy?” Fred asked curiously, as Rose pulled them out of the kitchen and into the hallway, meeting an empty-handed Hugo in the hallway.
“You fancy the Doctor?” Hugo asked.
“Can we really not talk about this right now!” Rose demanded.
“Right, sorry,” Hugo muttered.
Rose turned to Fred. “If you were a hyperactive man with an oral fixation and a penchant for trouble, where in this house would you be?”
Fred’s mouth opened and closed in shock, nothing coming out. Rose heard some swearing from down the hall.
“There,” Rose and Hugo said together, darting away. Fred watched them in open-mouthed surprise.
“This is the most bizarre day I’ve ever had,” Fred whimpered.
(Chapter 16 part 3 here)
Disclaimer: I don't own Doctor Who or Harry Potter. I'm not nearly that brilliant.
Note: Rewrites of Rise of the Cybermen and Age of Steel.
(Chapter 16 part 1 here)
Chapter 16 (Part 2): Cybermen
Unbeknownst to Hugo, Rose was surprisingly close. Emerging from the back of the house, she took several deep breaths, letting the cool air fill her lungs. She wrapped her arms around herself tightly and let out a sniffle.
“Hello?” called a voice from the back porch. Rose jumped, not realizing that somebody was out there. A small light appeared as somebody lit their wand. Rose recognized the face of her Uncle Fred almost immediately.
“Sorry,” she said quickly. “I didn’t realize anybody was out here. I’ll be going now-”
“No, no,” Fred assured. “Stay. You’re fine. I’m Fred, by the way. Fred Weasley.”
“Yea, I know who you are,” Rose said. “I’m Rose.”
She shuffled a bit closer, hesitant. Fred patted the seat next to him and, after a second, she sat down delicately next to him, keeping her eyes down.
“Are you okay?” Fred asked unsurely.
“Yea, fine.” Rose said quickly. “I just needed some air.”
“I know what you mean,” Fred said with a laugh. “It’s stuffier than an old bookstore in there.”
Rose giggled. “It’s your party. I’m surprised you aren’t in there-”
“Schmoozing?” Fred asked.
“No!” Rose squeaked. “No! I didn’t mean it like that!”
“I know you didn’t,” Fred replied easily. “No need to get so worked up.”
“Sorry,” Rose winced. “I just had a run in with your brother-”
“And he chewed you out,” Fred finished apologetically. Rose remembered how Uncle George would say that he and Fred used to finish each other’s sentences. Rose knew how much her Uncle back home missed it.
Considering their relationship in this world, Rose wondered if Uncle Fred missed it, too.
“I’m sorry. He can be a bit uptight,” Fred continued sadly.
Rose frowned. “I’m guessing he wasn’t always like that?”
“He wasn’t,” Fred agreed. He grinned ruefully. “We used to have such a good time at school. Pulling pranks, playing Quidditch, goofing off.”
“Sounds like a blast,” Rose said.
Fred nodded. “It was. We were so excited to open up the shop.”
“And then things started getting complicated?” guessed Rose.
“Exactly,” Fred sighed, looking out into the backyard. “He kept wanting to expand. More. More. More. He lost sight of why we started Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes in the first place. He’s not the brother I grew up with.”
Fred looked over his shoulder through the window. He watched quietly as his brother laughed heartily at something the President said. George placed an arm around Angelina’s shoulders and Fred outwardly winced.
Rose noticed.
“I’m guessing that’s not the only reason you two are splitting up?”
“How did you know that?” frowned Fred. Rose stuttered, guilty, but Fred just waved it off. “Stupid question. My relationship with my brother has been the talk of the town, and you’re right. It’s not the only reason.”
Fred was quiet for a second. “Angelina and I used to date, back in school. Then she left me for George.”
Rose made a face. “That’s a bit weird, ain’t it?” Then she softened her words by adding jokingly, “You are the better looking one, after all.”
“I know, right!” Fred said shocked. He sobered. “Don’t get me wrong. They’ve given me a lovely niece-”
“Niece?” Rose frowned.
“Freema,” Fred explained. “I love her more than anything and I’m thrilled that they’re happy together.”
“But sometimes you just wonder what it would be like if things were different.” Rose finished for him
sympathetically. “I know what you mean.”
“Oh?” Fred asked, raising an eyebrow. “Do tell!”
At his imploring expression, Rose blushed. “I’ve got this friend, see? Best friend actually. And I’m sort of-”
“In love with him?” Fred teased. Then he frowned. “Or is it a her? You never can tell these days, can you?”
“No, he’s a him!” Rose laughed. She fiddled with her hands. “We’re just so close. I don’t want to mess things up. And I know he doesn’t do relationships, not really. It’s just that sometimes he looks at me in a certain way or says something and I just think that maybe... but then he goes off and does something and it just reminds me that he’s not interested.”
Fred sighed. “In love with people who will probably never love us back.”
“We’re pathetic,” Rose agreed.
Fred looked at her curiously. “It’s weird. We’ve just met, but I feel like I know you. Why do I feel like that?”
Rose went to stutter out an explanation. “I guess I just have one of those faces-”
“Oi!” called a familiar voice from the yard. Rose turned and saw Hugo running towards her as fast as she could.
Before she could respond, Fred was running right towards Hugo. “Hugo! Hugo you’re alright! You came back!”
Fred threw his arms around her brother and hugged him tightly. Rose, who had been going to meet him, slowed, realizing that this person might very well be the parallel version of Hugo. The panicked expression he threw her over Fred’s shoulder assured her that he was, as a matter of fact, her brother.
“Where have you been?” Fred suddenly demanded, shoving Hugo away from him, gripping him firmly by the shoulders. Hugo stuttered.
“It’s a long story,” he said finally, “and it can wait.”
He turned to Rose. “Rose, we need to find the Doctor and get out of here. I don’t have time to explain, but I will I promise. There’s something going on here, more than you know. These people need help. They need the Doctor.”
“Why what’s going on?” Rose demanded.
“There were these big, metal, things, Rose! I saw them! They were unloading them from the trucks. Dozens of them.”
“Big, metal, things” instantly brought only one thing to mind.
“Daleks?” she demanded. “Were they Daleks?”
“I don’t know!” huffed Hugo. “What do Daleks even look like?”
“A pepper pot on steroids,” Rose answered immediately. Hugo wrinkled his nose but then shook his head.
“No, they definitely didn’t look like that.”
“Okay,” Rose assured him, breathing a sigh of relief. “The Doctor was inside serving food the last time I checked-”
“Really?” Hugo asked. He tried to imagine the Doctor serving food to a room of rich and snobby wizards.
“He thought that it would be the best way to get information.” Rose explained.
Fred interrupted and asked Hugo “I’m sorry, but do you know her?” He pointed at Rose, obviously disbelieving and not caring that it was rude. Rose batted his finger away.
“Of course I know her,” Hugo replied without thinking. “She’s my sister.”
“Your sister?” cried Fred.
“It’s complicated,” Hugo began, obviously about to try and explain everything to him. Rose tugged on his arm.
“Hugo!” she demanded. “This was urgent a moment ago!”
“Right,” Hugo said, “We need to find the Doctor!”
Rose pulled both him and Fred into the house. She scowled when she realized that the Doctor was no longer in the main room. She turned to Hugo.
“You take the dining room. I’ll take the kitchen.” Rose turned to Fred, who still looked completely bewildered.
“Uncle Fred, you come with me.”
She tugged him along, ignoring the bewildered look of the guests, and barreled into the kitchen. Rose stood on her tiptoes, trying to make out the familiar tuft of messy, brown, hair.
“So you’re Hugo’s sister?” demanded Fred. “But Ron and Hermione would never give up a child.”
“They didn’t,” Rose denied.
“But Hugo said-”
“I know what Hugo said,” she snapped, annoyed that the Doctor was nowhere in sight. She had no idea what was going on, but she had never seen Hugo looking so worried. “It’s complicated, alright. We’ll explain everything,
though. Maybe. But right now, we really need to find the Doctor.”
“He the bloke you fancy?” Fred asked curiously, as Rose pulled them out of the kitchen and into the hallway, meeting an empty-handed Hugo in the hallway.
“You fancy the Doctor?” Hugo asked.
“Can we really not talk about this right now!” Rose demanded.
“Right, sorry,” Hugo muttered.
Rose turned to Fred. “If you were a hyperactive man with an oral fixation and a penchant for trouble, where in this house would you be?”
Fred’s mouth opened and closed in shock, nothing coming out. Rose heard some swearing from down the hall.
“There,” Rose and Hugo said together, darting away. Fred watched them in open-mouthed surprise.
“This is the most bizarre day I’ve ever had,” Fred whimpered.
(Chapter 16 part 3 here)