Jack was starting to feel a little self conscious, as he stood there hand extended and being stared at. Slowly he pulled his hand back and let it drop to his side.
Sighing Harry wondered what else could go wrong today.
"Have a seat Jack." Harry told the teen pointing to the chair across from him as he asked Aloria to scan the young man for any possible time delayed spells.
Paranoid much Harry told himself. "Sorry Jack it has been a long morning and the day just doesn't seem to be getting any better. By the way I'm Harry."
"That's ok I completely understand, nice to meet you Harry." A relieved Jack O'Neill told him.
'He's clean Harry, not a drop of any magical artifacts on him, though he is highly magical, but for his age it is almost unheard of that he has barely any control. It is almost like he is untrained. And he has had his memory modified quite a bit. Not so much to give him new memories, but more to erase the details of his memories. Badly done too.' Aloria told him through the link
"Would you like something to eat or drink Jack?" Harry asked as he went over Aloria's comments in his mind.
Aloria preempting any answer levitated over a tray with tea and sandwiches to the table, from the newly installed TS at the arrival med bay, deciding Harry needed to eat something as it was almost lunch time.
Jack waving his hand around the tray, looking for any hidden wires or any means of support muttered. "Thanks."
Well that answers that question Harry thought to himself watching the teen feeling for some hidden support besides magic on the tray.
Offering to pour the teen some tea at the same time as his, he nodded his head at the non verbal no thanks from the other and sat back with his tea and a couple of scones and watched the teen tear into the sandwiches.
Finishing his scone and his study of the teen across form him, noticing everything from his American accent to the style of his clothes, Harry's senses told him that no matter what he looked like, he was the age of a toddler which made no sense what's so ever.
Seeing the other was almost finished and had put down his glass of milk Harry said. "So Jack, you said you have something to deliver?"
Pulling an envelope out of his inner jacket pocket Jack held it in his hand as he said. "The funny thing is a few days ago this man came over to my school and pulled me out of class. Said he was from the government and due to my special circumstances he needed me to deliver this letter for them.
He told me that the place I would be going would be a city of ancient wonder. It was how he said ancient that got my interest.
He told me there was a shadow world hidden within the everyday world, and I had the gifts to be part of it. Though the only way I would truly fit in would be acquire tutors, as most learned to harness their talents as young children, and I would be starting later than most."
"So you just packed a bag and left everything behind just like that." Harry asked surprised.
Sighing Jack slumped in his seat. "Nothing worked the way I thought it would in the beginning."
Jack looked Harry squarely in the eyes. "You ever think you have everything planned out and can make it work, only to have the whole thing come crashing down and nothing is how you wanted it to be?"
Chuckling Harry answered. "Oh hell yes, seems to be the story on my life. All I wanted when I was younger was to be normal."
Smiling, feeling a kindred spirit in the cute guy across from him, Jack remembered the strange words from the government agent telling him the he was no longer bound by the statute of secrecy, as the place he was going would not find is tale outlandish and they would welcome him with open arms.
That was the real reason he jumped on the chance Jack explained. "I may look seventeen but technically I suppose I am only a couple of years old."
Seeing the look of surprise on the others face he continued quickly. "My older self was kidnapped by this mad alien bent on finding the key to his races survival. Seems he had been visiting earth for several decades and kidnapping people, and taking samples from them."
Grimacing Jack said. "He must have thought I was special as he cloned the older me and sent the clone back to earth in his place, so he had time to properly study the older Jack. Like all mad scientists he had tunnel vision and overlooked the small details."
Jack snorted. " Like not making sure the clone was the same age as the original. I suppose."
Not seeing a look like the men in white suits would show up shortly Jack went on with his explanation. "There I was, or the older me was. I had gone to bed the night before and the next morning woke up looking like this."
Again with the grimace. "Well a little shorter that is. But the point being that instead of being a forty something Air Force officer I was in the body of a snot nosed kid. After convincing my superiors of the fact I was who I said I was, we contacted some allies who happened to be of the same race as the criminal scientist. "
Jack got a far away look in his eyes as he stared over Harry's shoulder. "Seems this scientist was not so great after all. He had gotten sloppy and the younger version, me, was dying, due to my DNA being unstable.
Well after capturing the mad scientist, the older me gave the go ahead to let me be healed instead of just letting me die, and after the damage was fixed set me up with a new life.
Lets just say after that things did not go as planned, and I had to sit down with Thor and ask him to do some more work on me and get rid of some of the older versions memories in my head."
Harry shook his head. It seemed the teen's life was as twisted as his in a way.
"So this official takes you aside and offers you a new life for playing post owl, without telling you anything about the new world you are getting involved in or even how or why it works." Harry said exasperated with the American ministry.
"Sounds about right." Jack told him then asked. "What's a post owl?"
Might as well see what the idiots want, thought Harry. "Can I see the letter they sent please? I think you deserve some explanations, but lets deal with one thing at a time as I have a feeling it is going to take quite a bit of explanations on our end."
Seeing no harm and thinking this guy was at least in charge of this area, being behind the conference table and all Jack slid the envelope across the table.
Harry willed the letter to levitate in front of him as he opened his senses fully and scanned for any hidden magical signatures.
"Whoa Nellie." Jack said in awe at the letter taking off and floating all by itself.
Thinking now was as good a time as any to start Jack's introduction to his new world Harry explained. "There are those born who have the ability to manipulate energy and matter with a thought. They called it Magic for the lack of a better word. For the longest time the community of magic users lived side by side with those who could not use magic.
Then times changed and fear of the unknown and I think envy played a part in it, those who could do magic started to be persecuted, so they took their community and hid it from the rest of the world.
What allows us to do these amazing things is nothing more than genetics, nothing mystical or involving human sacrifices." Harry told him with some levity trying to ease the shock.
"Damn you mean no virgins get un-virgined." Jack said as he smiled in disappointment.
Laughing at Jacks sense of humor. "Afraid not." Harry said to the others look of disappointment.
"What I am doing is called levitation, I am willing energy to surround the envelope and raise it up off the table. Simple really once you get the hang of it." Harry told him, reaching out and plucking the envelope from its spot in front of him having detected no magical signatures.
Opening the envelope Harry smiled as he told him. "You have the same Alteran DNA that is needed to have the ability to do magic for a lack of a shorter word."
"Cool." Jack said, as he was distracted by movement from out of the corner of his eye.
While Harry was reading the letter Jack noticed several people had appeared in the same area he did, and these people looked like refugees.
About to say something Jack noticed a group of people dressed in white hurry out and start to treat the injured people.
Seeing they had things well in hand he let his eyes roam around to what was in the direction he had not looked while heading for the steps and froze.
"Six...Six gates, how the hell do they do that." Jack whispered.
Having finished the letter, Harry had laid it down and watched the teen in some amusement. He was such a contradiction, and he wondered how soon before the Weasley's adopted him.
Jack was brought back to reality hearing Harry speak behind him.
"Aloria contact everyone for an emergency meeting, make sure Griphook asks Stone Crusher to attend if he is around." Harry said out loud decision made on how he planned to proceed.
"Right away Lord Commander. "Aloria's voice echoed around the room.
'Smart ass' Harry sent back through their link.
"Jack we have a few minutes before everyone arrives, and seeing that you have already had contact with aliens this will not be as hard for you to believe." Harry told him gaining the teens attention.
Picking up the letter Harry stood. "Follow me I want to show you something you are going to love."
Picking up his duffel Jack followed Harry away from the platform and soon a set of stairs going up appeared.
Climbing the stairs behind Harry, Jack thought to himself, god what a cute ass.
Climbing the third set of stairs Jack thought, damn haven't these people heard of elevators.
Linking briefly with the city he told it to lower the blast shields in the section in front of his station.
Coming up behind Harry, Jack passed the only chair on the whole balcony and walked to the edge where Harry was standing, and for the second time that day he froze in shock.
They were in orbit, his mind kept screaming at him, as he stood there and took in the view of this huge city, and at the edge the sight of the Earth hanging there.
Looking at the look of pure rapture on Jacks face Harry moved back to his command chair and sat down giving the teen some time to take in the view, while waiting for the others to arrive Harry studied the teen standing in front of him.
Jack had taken a chance that paid off in a big way and he was glad that he followed his instincts. Thinking the older version of himself would understand, and hoping he would not worry to much Jack turned away from the view of his past to face his future.
And almost fell off of the balcony when he came face to face with the 2 short aliens standing near Harry.
"Definitely not Asgard." Jack said the first thing on his mind.
Jack was a little uncomfortable as Harry and the strange aliens looked back and forth between each other ending with staring at him.
"On my right is Stone Crusher and on the left is Griphook, they belong to a race called the Furlings." Harry told him thinking it best to introduce his companions.
"Cool, met the Asgard nice people, really fixed me up. And older me met the Nox, so all I need to do is meet an ancient and I will have completed the set." Jack said stopping when he noticed the two he was introduced to pointing at Harry.
"No way. " Jack whispered.
Seeing Harry nod his head Jack slid down the railing to the floor holding his head muttering. "But if I can do what he can that means I..."
By this time the rest of the group had arrived and Molly seeing the distraught youth on the floor asked. "Is everything all right, should I send for the healers?"
"Was it the sight of the Goblins that did it for the poor boy?" Molly asked in concern, as she approached the teen.
"No it was the knowledge of the Lord Commanders heritage that did it, he was fine till then." Griphook answered.
"Oh you poor dear." Molly said kneeling next to the teen and pulling him into one of her patented Molly hugs.
Motioning for the rest to go into his conference room as he got up. "Molly if you would take Jack to my quarters for now, and stay with him if you would, I will be there as soon as I can."
Leaving Jack in Molly's capable hands Harry walked in saying. "Jack brought some interesting news that along with the revelations from this morning. I think we might have to intervene before magic users in the British Isles become a thing of the past."
"What news did the young man bring with him Harry?" Bill asked.
Sitting down at the head of the table Harry replied "A letter from the International Confederation of Wizards requesting a meeting, between the whole council and me, about the crisis in Britain. They also mentioned they would abide with whatever location I chose and any security arrangements that I felt necessary."
"They are worried. Whatever is happening must be scaring them greatly for them to offer this concession on location of your choosing." Gran Longbottom said.
"The question is do you accept and if so where to hold it?" Remus spoke up as he entered the room and taking his seat.
"With what we heard this morning can we not. If we ignore the problem it would become a race to track down those not immersed in the magical world from birth to offer them something better." Bill said.
Gran shook her head. "Some of those old reactionaries, I would not trust them not to do something underhanded if given the opportunity and they were allowed in the city. Everything to them is a game of power and one up-manship."
"So we meet them somewhere we can control on Earth then." Remus threw out.
"Backed by a squadron of cloaked combat shuttles." Ron spat out not liking the fact that Harry might be put in danger.
"Might I suggest we use the large meeting hall in the Italian Gringotts branch. It should be large enough to hold the delegates, and enough guards in cloaked combat suits to ensure your safety." Stone Crusher said.
"How many members are there to this council?" Asked Harry.
"If everyone shows up sixty eight. Three times that many hangers on and staff." Gran told him.
"You know they will all show up, even if its just to get a chance dig up information about Harry's plans, and the location of the city." Neville said.
"So, Stone Crusher if we use the hall how long it would it take to get it ready with the understanding that only the delegates themselves can enter?" Harry asked.
Thinking for a moment Stone Crusher replied. "We could be ready as soon as tomorrow night."
Thinking about it for a moment Harry told them "Plan for early Saturday morning then. That will give us a few extra hours to quietly set up additional surprises in case this is all a ruse."
Looking over at the twins who had been sitting there expressionless Harry said. "You two have been awfully quiet about this."
Fred and George traded looks with each other, before Fred nodded his head towards George.
George pulling a data pad from his thigh pocket and slid it across the table towards Harry.
Picking up the data pad Harry glanced at Ron and Bill, and noticed the worry in their eyes when they looked at their brothers. What in Merlin's name happened down at Hogwarts he wondered.
Activating the pad Harry looked down and read the proposal the twins had come up.
Reading the shear brilliance and if somewhat disturbing underling viciousness of the plan, Harry leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes to talk it over with Aloria.
'It goes without saying that the part about using remotes for anything other than the retrieval of the stored items in the shrieking shack is not going to happen' Harry thought.
'Yes the mistake was made once before, and it became an unstoppable plague destroying all in its path' Aloria thought back.
'But the rest?' asked Harry.
'Tempered down several notches it might be the best way Aloria replied slowly.
"Harry, what's on that pad, judging by your face it must not be to pleasant." Remus asked afraid of the answer.
"Those two came up with a plan for the invasion and domination of Britain. The scary thing is it might just work to." Harry said.
Asking Aloria to prepare a show for everyone through their links Harry transfixed the twins with his glare.
"This shows some research was put into it, so I am sure you saw the section on remotes that expressly forbids what you propose." Harry asked them sternly.
"Yes, but if..." Fred started.
Harry slammed his hand on the table yelling with some venom. "ENOUGH"
"Everyone access your link, Aloria has something to show you." Harry said in a tone that demanded compliance, magic glowing and swirling around him in his anger.
Everyone did as he demanded and the twins paled as the watched the massacres of entire races, from out of control remotes.
When everyone came out of the link, even the Goblins were pale and shaky.
Gratefully no one got sick, though several looked like they wished they were.
The ancients did not make it forbidden, I DID. It would pain me to do it but I will personally EXECUTE anyone who breaks this edict, brother of the heart or not." Harry said gathering his shaky control.
Eyes never leaving the pale faces of the twins, Harry said quietly "The rest of it has a lot of merit. The remotes can indeed ignore the Fidelius and retrieve everything stored in the Shrieking Shack."
Throwing the data pad to the middle of the table Harry stood "The rest of you if you would, please work on this with the idea of emptying the shack on Saturday While I am meeting with the council, and kicking off whatever final plan is decided on, on Monday."
Pointing his finger at the twins. "You two with me NOW." Harry said, walking out of the room without looking back.
Fred and George still not regaining any color walked out after Harry heads bowed.
XXXX
Once past the doorway Harry twirled around and grabbed both the twins by their arms and shifted them to a hidden park he used when he needed solitude.
Once they re-appeared Harry let go of their arms, and the twins fell to the grassy floor.
Staring intently at the two "Ever since you came back this morning from Hogwarts you have been different. Colder, Harsher and the fun loving twin bundle of pranking fiends seem to be dead. So what I want to know is, what happened?" Harry asked.
Fred and George looked at each other as tears ran from their eyes as they held each other up.
"Harry if you could have felt it, it was terrible. Being in Hogwarts and not feeling any magic in the whole place." Fred said.
"The feeling of deadness and the need to get revenge is still so strong it is almost unbearable." George told him.
"We thought that with the Dark Lord dead, that things would get better, but hardly any time went by and a new darkness took his place." Fred told him as he started to shake in grief.
Quickly kneeling down next to the twins, Harry grabbed them up in a fierce hug.
"Were sorry Harry." Fred and George whispered as they held on for dear life.
"Whatever for?" Harry hugged them back.
"Were not strong enough." Fred whispered.
"Don't think we can handle much more." George muttered almost to soft to hear.
"Please put us in stasis" George begged.
"Please Harry before we break for good." Fred begged grabbing onto Harry desperately.
'Aloria get the hibernation units powered up.' Harry said through his link with sorrow in his thoughts at seeing the twins in the process of breaking down.
Leaning over Harry kissed Fred then George on their foreheads, using his magic to put them to sleep as his lips touched their heads.
Wiping the mist from his eyes with his sleeve, Harry once again made sure he had grabbed both the twins arms, and shifted all three of them to a hidden chamber in his tower.
Levitating George, Harry quickly stripped him down and cleaned the dirt of the young mans face before laying him down in the hibernation tube, and then turned to do the same to Fred and laid him in the tube right next to his brother.
Tapping several commands into the monitors above each tube, Harry was rewarded with the monitors coming to life and the system stating the bio link was now active.
Laying one last caress on each of their heads, Harry mentally activated the units and watched as the clamshell lids closed and sealed, and the units hummed with power.
Making sure all the systems were working properly, Harry shifted to his quarters to tell Molly what had happened.
After entering his office, Harry took a few calming breaths; before deciding on the best method to use in approaching Molly with the news.
Walking into the living room, the first thing Harry noticed was the smell of fresh baked bread and what smelled like stew coming from the kitchen.
Seeing no one around Harry made his way over to the kitchen.
Walking around the corner and into the next hallway Harry soon found Jack and Molly sitting at the counter eating.
"Smells wonderful Molly." Harry told her as he walked up to the kitchen counter.
"Harry dear, finished already?" Molly asked looking over Jacks shoulder at the young man who just walked in.
"Not quite Molly." Harry told her not meeting her eyes, least she see the concern radiating there.
Turning his attention to his other guest, Harry asked. "Doing better now Jack?"
Swallowing his mouthful of stew, Jack replied. "Yes."
Then blushing he added. "Would you like some stew I can dish it up for you?"
Smiling at the blushing and enthusiastic teen, Harry told him. "Not right now Jack, I just popped in to steal Molly for a bit."
Harry then told him. "I should be back in a half hour or so. So leave me some, I will eat when I get back."
Turning back to his food Jack waved his hand and tried to get control of these powerful new feelings that were coursing through him.
Motioning for Molly to join him, Harry noticed the look of concern that crossed her face as soon as she was out of sight of the teen.
"Harry? What happened?" Molly whispered in fear, as she and the boy she longed to call hers left the room.
Seeing Molly looked ready to panic, Harry did something he had never done before and pulled Molly into a hug, initiating it first.
"Its ok Molly, no one is physically hurt. Fred and George have had an episode, and I need to collect you, Bill, Charlie and Ron and take you to them to explain and so you can see for your selves they are fine." Harry told her softly.
Seeing Jack's head peaking around the corner, Harry mouthed 'bad news' before releasing the hug.
Nodding his head, Jack's head disappeared back around the corner, more than likely to go back to finish eating.
Wiping her eyes in relief Molly softly scolded. "Those two, I swear how they've not blown themselves up yet, I don't know."
Harry gently smiled. "Lets go collect the other two shall we."
Shifting back to the conference room Harry noticed that for the most part the meeting had ended.
Seeing a blur out of the corner of his eye, Remus looked up to Harry and Molly appear.
"Ah, Harry just in time. The plans the twins came up with just needed a little fine tuning before they were good to go." Remus told him, then he noticed Harry had returned without the twins and with Molly.
"Great, sounds like everything is under control then. We can catch up with the details tomorrow sometime. " Harry told them as his eyes never left Ron's, Charlie's and Bill's.
Nervously looking around Neville decided to break the growing silence, before some one asked a stupid question, setting off emotional turmoil. "Sure thing Harry, sometime after lunch then."
Bill was starting to get really worried, he was beginning to wonder if he was about to be told he was short two more brothers.
Nodding his head. "Thanks Neville, sounds like a good idea." Harry told him.
"Ron, Bill, Charlie if you two will come with us, we need to take you to the twins." Harry said quietly.
Seeing Harry give out a tired looking smile Ron relaxed for a moment, thinking it could not be all that bad if Harry was able to at least smile a little.
Walking around the table he joined his mum and brothers and placed his hand on Harry's arm.
After Harry shifted them out of the command area to some weird looking med bay Ron commented. "I can't wait till I have control over my magic so I can do that, so much better than Apparating let me tell you."
Noticing they were in a med bay she had never seen before Molly asked. "Harry were are we, I thought I had been in every med bay in the city?"
Bill and Ron looked around and Charlie stared at Harry, when they heard their mum ask the question about where they were, they noticed that for the most part it did seem to resemble a med bay, but there were enough differences that they were not sure where they were.
"This is a private facility several levels below my rooms. This med bay is different, it needs no attendants for the sick or injured, Aloria controls everything here." Harry explained.
"There are also facilities here that you will not find in any other part of the city, like the hibernation chambers." Harry told them.
"Before the ancients perfected stasis technology they used hibernation chambers. They worked great for long voyages where that a long time would pass.
One of the major drawbacks was they could not be used in an emergency situation to keep the person alive, and the persons mind was still aware.
By using what is now the teaching link they were able to link their minds to a central computer, and while their body had slowed down to almost nothing their minds were able to experience day to day life as if they were not in hibernation.
After stasis fields were perfected hibernation units fell to an obscure reference in medical history texts. That is until one bright mind healer realized they would be useful in his line of work." Harry briefly explained.
Spotting the hallway marked hibernation Bill saw the bright lights leading down the hall and all of a sudden knew where this was going.
Harry started to walk down the short hall towards the hibernation units.
"Harry dear, what happened with my boys that they needed to be put in here?" Molly asked as she stopped and rested her hand on the unit Fred was in.
Thinking of the best way to explain this so that they would understand, Harry slowly started to explain. "Every one deals with grief in loss in a different way.
After the loss of Ginny the twins put their incredible intelligence to work on war products and the means to kill as many death eaters as possible, letting the pranks go to the wayside.
They turned their grief into violence against those that harmed their family.
They seemed to be calming down, and after several years were letting go of all that anger and rage and starting to go back to their fun loving selves.
Then the ministry attacked, and in the chaos they killed their father, the man that they felt closest too.
And then they went to Hogwarts, and it was to much for them."
"They begged me to place them in stasis before they totally lost themselves, as they felt themselves loosing their sanity to the rage and need for vengeance." Harry told them sadly.
Glancing at Ron hoping he would understand. "They never did tell me what happened down there, Maybe they never will, but whatever it was, it was to much for them and they needed a way out."
Her hand now on George's unit Molly asked. "How long?"
Looking at Molly. "Time runs differently to those in hibernation, while several months go by to the rest of us, to Fred and George it will seem as if several years of healing has taken place."
Still worried Bill asked. "They will be alright though right?"
"Yes, they will come out of it refreshed, ready to take on the world again." Harry replied confident of the outcome.
Ron whispered, afraid of the answer. "Harry? Would you think less of me if I were to undergo this too?"
Startled, Harry Grabbed Ron by the shoulder and made him look at him face to face. "Never...Never would I think anything less of you if needed treatment in this way."
Shaking him slightly. "Do you think less of me knowing I spent six months in one of these working through all my problems Ron?"
Holding back tears Ron shook his head no.
"How long did you...?" Bill started to ask.
"BILL." Molly cried, hitting him on the arm for asking such a private question.
"It's ok Molly, I don't mind." Harry told her.
"As I said I spent six months in the unit, how much time passed for me, that's what you want to know?" Harry asked Bill.
Seeing Bill nod his head. "Two hundred years." Harry shocked them by saying.
"Two hundred years I spent healing, learning, growing as a person. I think I am a better person, more comfortable with who and what I am because of it." Harry barely got out before being crushed against Ron in a super Molly hug.
Merlin, no wonder Harry had such control over himself and his magic. Let alone two hundred years worth of mastering everything Alteran bill thought.
Reaching out to for Bill "Lets leave them alone for now, we can plan to welcome them back properly later." Harry told them as he shifted them out of the room back to the command deck.
Scott has provided most excellent editing skills