A/N: Next chapter, I swear you're going to love it. This one's pretty much a plot explainer, but damn necessary. Serge will be doing a great deal of explaining. Here is where the crossover comes into play. I'm told Hermione is too OOC, well, I hope the last chapter explained a part of it. The other is the unconscious fact that will be explained by Serge in an upcoming chapter. Thank you and Read and Review. I'm Sorry, I meant to write that the next day was the Order meeting.
Also thank you to my beta Trumpetgirl0590. Thank you again for going over this for me.
Chapter 16:
Meddling Kid
"Daddy come quick/The Dreaming Tree has died/I can't find my way home/And there is no place to hide/The dreaming tree has died." Dave Matthews Band
Morning came and went without problems. Ron avoiding them slightly, claming he was meeting another girl. Harry figured this was a good plan since Serge was taking them to meet with the Order. Hermione still did not know this and figured they were just going to visit Dumbledore like they had planned. Well, she was right, it was just they were going to meet a few more people than that as well.
"Come on Harry," Hermione said, pulling him along the corridor. She did not want to be late for a meeting with the Headmaster, even if he was her great-grandfather.
"Relax, Hermione," Harry said laughing slightly. "We're not going to be late."
"How can you say that when you're walking at that pace?" She said, trying to pulling him even faster. Harry shook his head.
"You forget," he simply said. Picking her up off her feet, he tapped into his lightning and took off down the hall at a speed that surprised her. He stopped about four feet in front of the gargoyle, or rather Hermione was set down at that point; Harry ended up crashing into the statue as he tried to stop.
"See, got you here on time," he said groggily. Hermione stifled a laugh and glared at him as she helped him stand.
"Yes you did," Hermione said. Harry swayed once as the room stopped spinning. The gargoyle opened up and Hermione helped Harry walk up the stairs; he still wobbled a bit as he walked but for the most part he was fine.
"Come in," Dumbledore's voice came from the other side door. It opened inward, and Hermione tried to hide her surprise. The Order stood around, talking about random things. Tonks and Lupin were talking with Serge; Lupin did not seem happy about what Serge was saying, but Tonks seemed to understand. The Weasleys were in the Order were their, including Ron. She dismissed her question about that, for the one that was now forming as to why Guile was talking with Mister and Mrs. Weasley. Ron stood quietly to the side and did not move over to them when they entered.
"You two are early." Dumbledore said matter-of-factly, causing everyone to turn and look at them.
"Told you I would get us here early," Harry replied, sheepishly rubbing the bump on his head. "Are we ready?"
"Yes, this meeting of the Order of Phoenix has begun, everyone, please take a seat," Dumbledore said. The room began to change and Hermione moved closer to Harry as it did.
The room's colorful equipment around them dissolved into a cornucopia of small maps. The room grew large and every attempted to stay on their feet as a large round table grew in the center of the now extending room. Chairs for everyone appeared and everyone seemed to know where to go to-minus Ron, Harry, and Hermione. Dumbledore took his seat at the head of the large table, signified by the large royal looking chair.
"We are here today, to determine the induction of three new members into the Order as well as address some rather important matters," Dumbledore said, rising from his own seat. He waved his hand and a large white orb appeared at the center of the table, in it appeared to hold the world in its center. "According to our customs, one non-family member must sponsor the inductee, give a supporting speech, and then we will vote." Everyone nodded, and Harry for the first time, realized that this must only be the members of the Order with the most influence.
"Then allow me to begin," Guile said, standing from his position. He was the furthest from Dumbledore, and darkness seemed to surround him, despite ample lighting. "I wish to nominate Master Ronald Weasley into this little group's folds." Harry watched for the reactions of everyone. The only one not happy by it, other than Mrs. Weasley, was in fact, Serge which wasn't a surprise either. There was some enmity between them that Harry could not understand. "Now, you all know Master Weasley. I have personally tutored him for the last few weeks, improving his fiery magical abilities. He has made great progress for one of such talents, but that is not why you need him. You need him because his mind is one of the most strategic that I have seen next to my own. You have the muscle and you have the brains, yet you fail to have the strategy necessary to fully draw into the war. Inside that man's mind," Guile pointed at Ron, "is the chess board to win. He may not know the plays but he will learn them, whether in the confines of the teacher, or on the streets, he will learn them. But you have to cultivate this mind while it still is accepting. A child's mind is open to more doors, and more imaginative than an adult's. We have closed so many throughout our lifetimes that a child has not. That is Master Weasley's contribution: his finely tuned mind and imagination." Guile said back down, looking rather pleased with himself.
"Objections?" Dumbledore said from his seat. Predictably only one hands rose up but it was not Mrs. Weasley's; it was Serge's. "Mister Thornton, your reasons." Serge did not make eye contact, which would have involved raising his eyes off the globe at the center.
"I do not trust him. For his eyes hold a hate and fire that should be put out before he allows it to burn for much longer," Serge said. "A man with that much hate in himself can only give into darkness after too long." Serge's eyes rose to look at Guile then tactically retreated back to the globe. "That's all I have to say about that." Dumbledore nodded, and would have continued had Moody not spoken up.
"Mrs. Weasley, time and time again, you have stated your reluctance, care to explain your reason's for allowing your son in now," Moody asked. He held a small smile on his face, which looked more like a grimace.
"My boys have a way of getting involved no matter what I say," Mrs. Weasley said from her seat. "Doctor Moody explained it to me that with the proper tutoring Ron would be able to expand his skills for chess as they were. I believe the only way for him to learn and appreciate the knowledge is if you does so from within our ranks."
"Very well, any others oppose?" Dumbledore asked. There were no more objections. "Mister Ronald Weasley, please step forward." Ron did so with a smug look on his face. "Place your hand on the orb." The globe floated toward Ron. Ron did so and a bright light filled the room. "Welcome Mister Weasley to the Order of Phoenix." The table expanded and a new chair next to Tonks appeared. He took his seat and Tonks stood up.
"I wish for Hermione to become a part of this," Tonks said. Hermione had a shocked look on her face and looked at Harry quickly. He smiled at her, nodding before squeezing her hand. "There is not one of you that will not admit she is the brightest witch to enter Hogwarts since Harry's mother. No one here can question her intelligence and intuition. And if you think about rejecting her because she is a young girl, then you have another thing coming. She is one of the strongest witches in the school as well." Hermione blushed at this.
"Objections?" Dumbledore asked. No one raised their hands. The process was repeated and Hermione took a seat next to Serge.
"That leaves one person," Serge said standing from his seat. "I want Harry to be inducted into the Order and there is something I wish to say about some people's reluctance to let him be involved, but I won't, as there are women involved at the moment." Unlike the others he began to move around as he talked, not making eye contact with anyone specific, with the exception of Guile, to whom he was given a nod. "I once brought up the question why this order was made. The answer was to defeat evil, in this case, Voldemort. Now, I ask now, who objects to allowing Harry into the Order?"
"Can he do that?" Mrs. Weasley asked, to which Dumbledore nodded.
"Objections please?" Serge said, raising his hands. "Mrs. Weasley, for one I know you object, you object to me being in this order. So tell me why do you object to Harry being a part of this?"
"He is too young," she simply said. "He has not lived."
"And your son has?" Serge countered. She glared at him, but took a defeated stance. "Now, this order was made to defeat your evil lord. Well, he believes the only person that can defeat him is Harry. Why would you keep him out of the loop in favor of a boy with a strategic sense of battle?" Ron's face grew red at the obvious insult. There definitely was enmity between the two, but Serge seemed to have started it all. "Now, I will say this, you do not let him in, you've lost your best man, and you've lost me. Because I'm going to follow him if I have to, to help ensure that we win. He is key, and it would be foolish to misplace the key." Serge sat back down.
"Objections?" Dumbledore asked. There was a moment of silence, a long one at that, but no one raised their hands. "Very well, Harry, please," He motioned toward the globe. Harry nodded, touching the globe. Instead of a white light enveloping the room, a small cylinder of light appeared on the top of the globe, glowing just as brightly as the light did for the others. Harry recoiled and stared at it for a moment. Murmurs ran through the room as Harry cautiously reached out and placed his hands in the light. It surrounded him, blinding him slightly
"Welcome," a serene distinctly voice said. The world around him was gone. All he could see was white. There were no dimensions, only... Harry could not put a word to the world around him. "A brave one you are. So much of him I see in you."
"Who are you?" Harry asked, turning around. He looked up and down, trying to find some sense of direction. "Where am I?"
"You are one step away from the end of time, child," the voice said once more. "You shall be there soon, though. Great loss has filled your past. I fear that you will find loss again, but not true loss. The lost are always found, Harry."
"Who are you?" Harry yelled this time. "How do you know my name?"
"My apologies," the voice said. Harry turned around to see a woman approaching him with short blond hair, blue eyes, and what could be considered a sports bra, small shorts and matching vest. A small knife was on her hip, hanging low. "My name is Kid." A bright light engulfed him and he heard the word echo through the place. "Kid. Kid." Even with all the light, he still slipped into darkness.
* * * * *
"Kid, hey kid, wake up," someone said. Harry felt someone slapping the side of his face a couple of times and opened his eyes. The world seemed way too bright and his head felt like lead. Serge was over him, trying to wake him up it seemed. "Easy, chief, easy." Serge said, sitting back. Hermione took the opportunity to crush Harry in a hug, tears falling down her face.
"Have him drink this," Guile's voice said from somewhere in the distance.
"What happened?" Harry managed to get out as a potion was placed upon his lips. He drank it, feeling the strength return to him. Wrapping his arms around Hermione he sat up, trying to comfort her.
"Well, you were knocked back to the door after you touched the globe," Serge said, still crouched next to him. "You were unconscious for a few moments or that's what it seemed like."
"What happened Harry?" Dumbledore asked. Everyone moved away, looking to the elder.
"I don't know, all I remember is that this woman said I was in the place before the end of time, whatever that meant." Harry said, rubbing his head. Serge's eyes grew wide.
"What was her name?" Serge said, grabbing Harry his shoulders. "What was her name?"
"Kid." Harry managed to get out before Serge stood up, a large smile growing on his face.
"I knew it, I knew it," he said loudly. "She's alive!" He screamed, the room shaking slightly. Everyone covered their ears, surprised at how loud he was. He grabbed Guile by the shoulders and shook him. "She's alive. Schala; she's alive."
"I know," Guile said, showing a rare emotion by smiling. "I know."
"She's alive!" Serge yelled once more joyously. "Thank you, Harry, thank you."
"You're... welcome," Harry said, finally regain his senses. He did not understand what just happened and honestly did not really want to.
"I think it is time you explained where you are from to everyone," Dumbledore said, snapping Serge out of his emotionally high. Serge looked around, and almost sheepishly walked back to his seat, awaiting everyone to follow him lead.
"Well, someone once said the best place to begin is at the beginning," Serge said once everyone was in their seats. "What I'm about to tell you never leaves this room, and if it does, you will be dead before you take another breath. I've spent the majority of my life fighting a fruitless battle, and you come out of it with some, how should I say this? Ah… evil things to show for it."
He removed his right hand glove, and waved it toward the globe. Around them, the world began to change. The walls dissolved replaced but palm trees and a sandy beach. Salty air blew upon their necks and the sound of waves crashing was not too distant.
"You are going on a journey beyond sight and sound, beyond reason, a journey to Another World," Serge said calmly. The world changed once more to a small village near by the sea. Bright colors and simple cottages built out of the palm wood or something close to it filled the village. A harbor could be seen in the distance with a small boat and young boys swimming and splashing each other. Young girls were showing off what appeared to be scales to each other by the pier as well. "Arni Village." He whispered. "My home town. This is where our story begins. I'm open to questions at this point, as once I start the next part, it will not end for a while."
"Where are you from?" Mrs. Weasley asked.
"Another time, another place, Another World," Serge said with a small smile. He paused for a moment before speaking again, "Back to my story." He waved his hand and time began to pass in the world. A wind blew through the town, winter settled down for a long nap, and a boat with two men, one looking like Serge stepped off of it. He appeared to be speaking with an older man, the other man's presumable a brother from their similar size, face was hidden. There was no sound beyond the crashing of the waves.
The Serge within the memory took off running and the memory followed him. Harry had come to believe that it was a memory for sure. Serge had the largest smile on his face possible and race through a forest, holding a small necklace in his hands. He bounded down a dirt road, and through a patch of greenery and colorful forest. No one had time to examine the plants for long, as Serge appeared on a winter scene of the beach from earlier. Harry finally had time to examine the place.
White sand was beneath their feet, untouched almost. The sea appeared to be a deep blue the further from shore one went, with white foam a building up at the edges. A woman was at the edge of the beach, where sand and water met for the first time. Harry felt his jaw drop. It was the woman, albeit younger, but the woman nonetheless from that white place. It was-
"Kid," Serge said, reaching out and attempting to caress the memory's face. His hand slid through the woman, causing everyone to realize, despite all that was around them-it was still only an illusion. He turned his back and the memory continued. Serge embraced Kid, gave her a necklace, the necklace held in his hands. But as suddenly as time changed the previous time, it changed once more. Serge fell through Kid as she faded away, and the world around them turned dark and dreary.
No longer did the water look clear, but now it was polluted and poisoned. The air was filled with stench, the sand covered in black soot, and the trees around them a deep brown, not a vibrant green. And at this point Harry thought they were lucky for the fact that there was no sound. Serge was on his knees, screaming into the air in pain and anger. He finally rose to his feet, and tore through the dead forest. At the edge, he met the man they had fought in the cave, or rather Serge had fought in the cave. Serge drew a double bladed sword as Flea floated above the ground. Both advanced on each other with fury; Serge's swordsmanship was most likely unmatched, but Flea's magical powers seemed to be more draining on him than the battle was on Serge.
Halfway though the battle however, another man appeared, and Hermione could not hold back her scream. A blue man, with nothing on but loose pants and a red belt stood before them. His skin was a pale blue, similar to his eyes. He withdrew a large katana, similar to Harry's only not a refine. Serge was winded, but did not retreat. He fought with such fury toward those men that it was a wonder what they did to him. Yet the man before them had more grace, more elegance with his attacks.
Harry took a chance and glanced at Serge who held his right arm with care as this memory played. Looking back at the fight, he understood why. This was the man they'd met in the woods. This was Slash.
Serge stumbled in the memory, over a log as Slash went onto the offensive. He held his swords up in one hand as if to block the coming blow. Slash gave an evil grin to him, and Harry put an arm instinctively around Hermione. This was the man from her nightmares, her past. Holding her tightly, he watched in horror as to what would come. The blade on Slash's sword swung down all right-right through Serge's hand.
"Enough!" Serge yelled waving his right hand. The memory disappeared, but not before he saw the fear within Serge's eyes, riding shotgun with the hate. "You know now of how I lost my hand. So let me tell you about the rest of my world!" He spoke his hate on his tongue.
"Calm down," Guile said, standing from his chair.
"Your old memories return, Magus, and then you tell me how it feels." Serge said. He turned his back to them, waving his hand once more.
"The world you saw is unlike the one you stand in," Serge began, no facing anyone though his voice was clear. "Built on possibilities, is a phrase that often came to mind when I lived there. The world's magic was dying. Wizards were dying off. Magic as what it was, was going to be destroyed within a generation or two when I was born. Technology was fast taking root, but the resistance was growing stronger. My grandfather was a proud teacher of what you called magic. He led my brother to believe in it but I never did. That was until that day, the final memory you saw. Everyone is a believer when faced with their own faults.
"You all take magic for granted, where it is mystical in my home world," there was a pause in his speech followed by a sigh. "I've come to revere what you think is common place. Life was never taken for granted not even before the Dark General showed up. Now, I'm praying I get back there to help my friends and family I abandoned for here. Before you ask I mean I left, I ran I was scared." Another pause and followed by a sigh. "There are things that I will tell you here, that you are not to utter the words to another man or woman, or child or anything, so long as you live. Even beyond death, I ask to bind your souls from speaking of time's greatest kept secret." He looked back at them.
"There is a way, beyond time-turners because that is not changing time so to speak, but there is a way to travel through time, to the point where the river splits into two and follow it down another path," Serge said, waving his hand once more. A large river appeared at the top of the room, flowing on the ceiling. "Not, although I never understood how, what I did was jump from my river," A figure appeared on one edge of the river. He jumped in and began to swim, across the river, only to have it part into two rivers and be carried down stream before he could get to the middle. "I was taken to the end of time. And thrown back into the river, but it was not my river, rather yours." The figure appeared on the other side of the river this time, now swimming upstream. "Damn near killed me when I did that, just about killed me when I left.
"I appeared in Vietnam where your Serge had just died. I watched it occur, scared beyond my soul at this strange, yet inviting world. My entire life has been filled with war, and that was what I found here," Serge said, walking to the table. "There is more, but you do not need my life story to know this. This war, this war against evil spans time, spans space, spans worlds. I think Guile you said there are some evils in this world that may be different in ours."
"That is correct," Guiles said, his face hidden in darkness.
"Well to you there is only Voldemort, whereas we have this Dark General, and Lynx," Serge said, waving his hand. Anger filled his face as he spoke again. New images filled the room. "The Dark General has one man that works underneath him, Lynx. That monster of a man controls three other sergeants: Ozzie, who control the other two as well, Flea, and Slash. That bastard, the General and his family have cost mine more misery that we could have imagined." An image of a man against the backdrop of a large flag appeared. Slowly and surround him appeared to be soldiers. The flag itself bore a similar Dark Mark, yet it was the man, the Dark General that scared them. It was Arthur Weasley. Silence filled the room.
"You're a liar," Ron said, standing from his chair. Guile stood as well, moved toward Ron, attempting to keep the two apart. "My father would never do anything like that."
"Tell me different Lynx." Serge growled lowly.
"Calm down," Guile said, turning to face Serge. "That is not him."
"It is, or he will turn into him," Serge said harshly, taking a step closer. "The same fire in his eyes is the one that has haunted me for the last twenty three years. He had never stopped following us, even when we try to leave."
"I'm not afraid of you," Ron said. His hand burst into reddish orange flames and he stood his ground.
"Ah, but child, you should," Serge said, taking a step forward. "What I once was, the kind man I would have been to everyone is gone, thanks to the likes of you," The picture dissolved into the walls once more and was the stone ones once more. "I've seen your fire, burned by your jealous and hate for those around you. You do not know how blessed you are, Ronald, and I've watched you for the last month, I've seen how you look at everyone else, seeing what they have that you don't."
"Shut it," Ron said, squeezing his fist.
"I must be correct," Serge said, turning his back to Ron. He waved his right hand and Ron was lifted off the ground, and fell onto his back. "Don't do anything stupid Ronald. You'd lose."
"I would not!" Ron said, getting back on his feet.
"Ronald, sit down this instant!" Mrs. Weasley said. But Ron did not appear to hear her.
"Serge, I challenge you to a wizard's duel." Ron said, taking a step forward. Serge looked back him as he headed toward the stairs.
"You're not worth it child." Serge said as he continued to walk up the stairs.
"You have no choice in this matter," Moody said, rising from his seat. "He has challenged you, whether or not he is worth it, you must duel him, under our laws." Serge looked at Moody then to Dumbledore. The older man had not said anything for a while.
"He is correct Serge, and you did bring this upon yourself," Dumbledore said, still from his seat. "However as you were challenged you may choose the form, the means, and the stipulation." Serge nodded, then turned and walked away. Before anyone could say anything to him however, he yelled back up the stairs.
"A duel tonight. Quidditch pitch. You will bring only your wand, your axe and your broom." Serge said. "I've got some personal business to attend to."
"How could you let a man like that into the order?" Mrs. Weasley asked. Her anger was present in her tone.
"Because he and I both are not from here, yet share the souls of men in your lives that have come and are now gone," Guile said, standing from his chair. "I will continue this story where Serge has left it off. Although, there will be no colorful backdrops.
"Now, Serge has fought the good fight since he was young. That man you saw earlier was his brother, another freedom fighter. The Dark General is a pawn of Fate, a vindictive mistress with only her wants in mind. He was given power the corrupted him and his family, well, all but three. Yet this power has been destroying Serge's family for quite a few years. We have been gone almost twenty years, Serge longer than me by about six years or so. However where he came through, I actually died and merged with my body in this realm as his soul died." He shared a look with Moody who nodded. "My other self was attacked by Death Eaters, killed in midst of saving a young family. I entered your realm as I still have unfinished business in mine. I suspect that I will not die should the business end either."
The meeting continued without discussion of the other world. Harry listened carefully, realizing that the three of them would not play a vital role. Sitting back in his chair, he let a frown cover his face. They still thought of them as children, when he was the one who saw more death and destruction than most of them. He knew what he was up against. Well, he would know it they taught him. Serge, Lupin, and slowly Dumbledore were teaching him what he needed to know for this never-ending battle. Hermione saw his frown, and surreptitiously picked up his hand, not caring what the others thought.
"Sir, what are our jobs?" Hermione asked, voicing Harry's question. She had come to the same conclusion on her own, and knew Harry had reached it long before.
"What do you mean?" Dumbledore asked, a twinkle in his eyes.
"Why are we a part of the order?" Hermione rephrased the question. "What can we offer you? Because if there are no jobs for us, we might as well not be apart of this."
"You are apart of this Order, isn't that enough?" Snape said scathingly.
"No, it isn't," Harry said, staring down Snape. "You all know as well as I do that I am a part of this war. If you give that crap about me being too young, well sod off. I'm out of here, and I will not make any contact with anyone about Order business."
"How dare you speak to us like that?" Snape said, rising from his seat. "You know nothing about the war."
"Do I?" Harry asked, standing up from his chair as well. "What happened my first year? Quirrell tried to kill me to get the Philosopher's Stone. Second Year? Riddle tried to kill me with a basilisk. We all know what happened third, fourth, and fifth year, correct?"
"You foolish child, you do not understand what is going on." Snape said, his voice low.
"I have been Riddle's target since I was one," Harry said. "And right now, I still am his target. Did you fail to remember this summer, or rather this week? Riddle has been trying to kill me, having his soldiers do the dirty work. I'm going to rephrase what Serge said earlier. You either treat me as an equal or sod off." With that Harry began to walk away from the table, he heard a commotion behind him. Rather than turning around to look, he continued out the door.
He had not gone a few feet when Hermione was next to him, holding his hand. Ron wasn't too far behind her, confused look on his face.
"What was that Harry?" Ron asked him as they walked away.
"I fed up with not being in charge of my life," Harry said, turning around to look at Ron. "Dumbledore has controlled my life for a long time, and it's taken a while, but I've forgiven him. Now, back here, people are controlling my life once more. In a few weeks, I'm going to be an emancipated adult. Dumbledore, Serge, and I had discussed this while you were talking with your sister." Hermione nodded. She knew he had talked to Serge, but not Dumbledore too. "It's for the contract, Hermione."
"But why did you explode in there? We are a part of it all," Ron said, still confused.
"No Ron, they were just having us there to appease our wants. We were nothing more than just… just.." Harry could not find the word for it. "The only reason we were there was so they could say we were involved without giving us any information. I for one, want an active part in the Order, they assigned everyone jobs but us Ron."
"Yeah, but they'll eventually give us something to do," Ron said, trying to reason out his logic.
"Maybe you're right," Harry said running a hand through his hair. "It's just that this war is between me and him, and they are the ones calling all of the shots, not me. I need to know what's going on and know that I'm helping in some way. Even if they said there was nothing for me to do at the moment, that would have been fine, but they completely skipped us when speaking, like we weren't even there."
"Okay," Ron said. He got the right idea and changed the subject. "So are you two going to root me on tonight?" He asked hopefully.
"I don't know," Harry said, shaking his head. He did not like the idea of his best friend, and one of the people he called his friend duel each other.
"Why not?" Ron asked. "You going to cheer him on?" Anger filled his voice slightly.
"Ron, I think the idea is childish and deplore it," Harry said, trying to remain calm. "What do you have to gain by dueling him? Nothing."
"I have my family's honor to uphold," Ron said firmly.
"By making an ass out of yourself?" Harry asked. Ron only seemed to get angrier. "Have you ever won in a duel against Guile?" He shook his head, but kept his glare. "Than what makes you think you can fight against Serge and win? I've fought him countless times Ron, and only recently I've come close to winning. The point is, that I've lost every time. Every single time."
"I'll beat him," Ron said turning his back on them
"You doing this for family honor, or because you just can't face the fact that maybe he was right?" Harry asked loudly. Ron turned back. "We've fought once before Ron, it's taken a long time to start rebuilding, now the question you should ask yourself is you really want to risk our friendship over something like this." Ron then turned and looked at Hermione.
"He is right; is your pride worth our friendship?" Hermione asked. Picking up Harry's hand once more, she began to lead in another way back to the towers. She and Harry needed some time to themselves at the moment. What scared her was she could have sworn that the brother, Serge's brother, looked like James.
-->