More Than Meets the Eye
Chapter 7: The Decepticons Strike
"You sure you guys can handle it here while I'm home?" Charley Weasley asked the other Dragon Keepers as they finished their rounds around the Dragon Cages.
"Charlie, your family needs you," a young woman smiled up at the eldest of the keepers. "We'll all be fine, even the Horntail."
"The funeral's in the morning. I'll be back as soon as I can," Charlie nodded to his crew, "I really appreciate all you chaps have done for me and the family."
"What?" one of the other keepers jumped when the Dragons began to roar and start becoming more alert and agitated. "Something's wrong… What's that?" he asked noticing a loud whistling sound. None had a chance to scream as a missile slammed into the ground not far from where they stood and sent them all flying through the air.
"Free them all, Starscream," Megatron growled as he shifted from his alien aircraft mode and touched down. "Soundwave, you know what to do." He said before releasing the small purple SUV from his talons.
"As you wish, Lord Megatron," Starscream replied as he and his squadron shifted into their robot modes and moved toward the dragons' cages.
"As you command, Megatron," Soundwave replied as he too transformed and began emitting a high pitched sound from his chest.
The Decepticons quickly tore open the Dragon Cages and the various breeds of mystic lizards stomped out and gathered around Soundwave all of which with glazed eyes and trance-like demeanors. All of the dragons, that is, except the Hungarian Horntail.
"Still my favorite …" Megatron said in a hissing voice with a British accent as he turned to face the raging Hungarian dragon.
The dragon rushed the Decepticon and stood on its rear legs to stand toe to toe with the demonic robot. "That's it, face me, give me your all," Megatron said as the Dragon snapped at him, slashed with his fore talons. "Now … YIELD!" Megatron bellowed as he grabbed the dragon by its long thin neck and whipped it around to the ground, and held it firmly. "YIELD to your MASTER!" Megatron growled out into the dragon's ear hole.
The Dragon thrashed and roared but Megatron didn't let up, continued to hold strong. Finally the Dragon began to relax, and lay motionless under the Decepticon's grip. "Good pet … you will obey my every command or else there will be suffering …" Megatron hissed as he climbed to his feet and the mighty dragon finally submitted to Soundwave's mind control frequency. "Excellent … soon my pets you will feast on the tender flesh of the student body of Hogwarts …"
"N-no …" Charlie crawled toward the Decepticon. Though his leg was broken and blood flowed from the open wound on his forehead, he wasn't going to let his dragons go with him still breathing.
Megatron, though, was not impressed by the act of bravery and strength. "Such heroic nonsense …" the Decepticon tisked before he lifted clawed hand, shifting it into a large cannon. A fangy smile crossed Megatron's metallic lips as he aimed and fired on the helpless wizard…
---
"Robots in Disguise, huh?" Harry asked as he sat in the driver's seat of Bumblebee as the yellow Camaro, black GMC Truck, red convertible, and red coup stood out in the funeral precession made up of older model cars and a horse drawn hearse. He himself was in disguise of a Weasley cousin who only Molly and Arthur knew would not be able to attend Ginny, Albus-Severus and James' funeral.
"Are you alright, Mr. Potter?" Daniel asked from the passenger seat.
"Best to call me Mr. Weasley till we get back to Grimmauld," Harry noted, motioning to his currently red hair and altered features.
"You don't have to worry about anyone eavesdropping in here, Bumblebee's safe," Daniel said, before glancing forward. "I know it hurts … I still remember when my mom and dad died … it still hurts…"
"Lily thinks very highly of you," Harry said looking out the driver's side window of the sports car. "You're a good friend, I can see that already. And she'll need a friend like you to help her through this... Just like I'm depending on Ron and Hermione right now."
"I'll … do my best sir," Daniel nodded.
"That's all I ask of you," Harry bit his lower lip for a moment. "And don't hurt her, ever. Do you know Aurors have the ability to rework people's minds? So just remember, if you ever hurt her in anyway you will spend the rest of your natural life believing you're a seven year old girl." Daniel blinked in surprise. "Try me, son, I'll have Rose braid your hair."
'Man, I Feel like a Woman' suddenly played on the radio. "Naturally you'd side against me, Uncle Bee…" Daniel rolled his eyes.
The mood grew far more somber as the vehicles came to a stop at Ginny, Albus, and James' final resting place. Daniel stood beside Lily with her disguised father on her other side as they walked with the Weasley family to the graveside.
Ron led Ginny's levitating casket while Bill and Fred led Albus and James' caskets respectively.
Harry began to tremble as Ron carefully lowered the wooden box containing Ginny into the cold ground. He was only vaguely aware of Hermione as she quickly took his hand in her own and squeezed it tightly.
Daniel gave a small smile to Lily as he placed an arm around the shorter girl's shoulder, as Rose and Hugo came around her as well lending their support to the distraught teenager. She closed her eyes tightly as her brothers were lowered. As her uncles walked back to them a heartbreaking sob escaped her throat.
"Why …" Lily could hear her father's trembling voice whisper as he stared at her mother's grave. That was a question she also was asking, but for all her intelligence she couldn't come up with an answer that would make this travesty make any sense.
"Megatron'll be stopped, Lily, I promise," Daniel whispered as he rubbed her shoulder. "No matter the cost …" he said in a strong tone, "I won't let him hurt you or anyone else. I'm not sure how yet but I'll think of something."
"Friends and family …" The minister spoke as he stood before the open graves. "We are … we are … w-we…" he stuttered as the ground began to tremble beneath their feet.
"Decepticons …" Daniel gasped as he tackled Lily, Rose, and Hugo to the ground, just as the graves exploded. Scorponok shot high into the air with Albus' smaller casket in one of his claws, and without a moment hesitation he crushed it and threw its broken remains and contents into the crowd.
"No!" Harry screamed as the mechanical monster reached in and pulled Ginny and James' caskets from the ground and held them before it. Harry watched in terror as the monster began to fire its guns through the caskets splintering the boxes and sending broken pieces of his son and wife's remains across the crowd.
"Male Adult Potter? Where is Male Adult Potter?" Came the mechanical voice of the Decepticon as it mechanically scanned the crowd. "Sub-targets Female Adult Granger, Male Adult Weasley and Female Youth Potter sighted. Terminate."
"I don't think so!" a booming voice spoke as Ironhide roared across the field in vehicle mode followed by Cliffjumper Blaster and Bumblebee. "I'll deal with Scorponok, you three get the crowd out of here!" He called out as the Autobots transformed in front of the whole crowd.
"Hey, let's clear out people nothing to see here! Everyone please get back into your vehicles and make a calm yet hasty leave…" Cliffjumper said and a moment later a screaming mob ran in the opposite direction. "THAT ISN'T CALM YET HASTY!"
"MEGATRON!" Harry screamed as he ran toward Scorponok. "WHERE'S MEGATRON!" He bellowed as he drew his wand.
"Harry!" Hermione yelled as she tackled Harry from behind, narrowly missing the missile fired from the Decepticon's claw.
"Hermione! Get off!" Harry fought to get from the woman's strong grip.
"No! I'm not going to watch you get your stupid idiotic ass killed! You are going to stay right here or come with us to safety and let the Autobots handle this," Hermione shouted into her friend's ear as she held him down.
"Damned bug!" Ironhide cursed as the Decepticon dove back underground to dodge the Autobot's cannon fire. The black Autobot narrowed his optics as he scanned the ground waiting for it to move.
Meanwhile Lily stood separated from the group, staring almost vacantly at a portion of wreckage on the ground. "Lily! Let's get out of here!" Daniel called out, not getting the girl's attention but gaining Ironhide's. "LILY!" Daniel called out as Scorponok shot from the ground and dove toward the girl. Daniel ran and jumped between her and the Decepticon and closed his eyes tightly as he heard weapons fire.
"STAY DEAD THIS TIME!" Daniel heard and looked up to see Ironhide holding Scorponok in the air and proceeded to shoot the Decepticon into scrap metal. "Are you two ok?" he asked as he dropped the broken remains of Scorponok to the ground.
"I'm ok … Lily?" Daniel asked glancing to the girl before him.
"Mummy …" she whispered as she stared at her half of mother's body, then fainting into Daniel's arms.
"At least we stopped him …" Blaster said softly as the Order members and Autobots regrouped.
"Stopped him?" Ironhide asked glancing to the shattered surviving Potters. "It looks like a mission accomplished on his part to me…"
---
The mood grew even more somber at Number Twelve when word finally arrived from Romania. Harry stood in the corner of the room staring into the fire as Hermione and Molly cried into their husbands' arms. Charley Weasley's fate on top of the tragedies that have taken place was almost too much for the group to bear. "Optimus is contacting Grace's father at their base in the States," Harry said in a mechanical voice, finally breaking the silence. "They're bringing in reinforcements to help incase Megatron uses the dragons he stole."
"Harry?" Hermione looked up from Ron's arms as she slowly disentangled herself from him.
"Minerva's going to reopen Hogwarts in a week. The Kids need normalcy back, especially Lily …" he said not taking his eyes off the fire, nor changing the tone of his voice at all. "It'll be the safest place for them anyway. I'll have some Order Members there as well to help out incase of trouble."
"Perhaps you need to rest a while," Arthur spoke up, he like everyone else, concerned for Harry's lack of emotions. "This can't have been easy on you."
"It's ok. Everyone needs to get back to their lives. Just because mine has been blown to hell, doesn't mean everyone else's has to be." Harry said taking a steady stride toward the door.
Harry made it to the hallway before he was grabbed by the arm and spun around. "Listen, and listen well, Potter," Hermione hissed glaring up into his emotionless eyes. "I know you're hurting. I'm hurting for you, but I did not stand by you all these years, I didn't see you through all of Voldemort's attacks on you to let a piece of scrap metal destroy you …" she said before tightening her grip on his collar. "Or let you destroy yourself."
"Don't shut us out, Harry," Hermione growled narrowing her eyes. "Don't shut me out."
Harry simply glanced away with a sigh. "Go back to your husband, Hermione…" he said pulling her hands away and continuing down the hall.
---
"Uncle Bee?" Daniel asked as he stepped outside Number Twelve Grimmauld Place and approached the Camaro. "Can we talk?" he was answered by the flashing of the Camaro's headlights and the driver's side door opening.
"It's … well it's about Lily," Daniel started hesitantly, and waited for his late father's car to make some kind of comment either vocally or with a song. "I … like her, Bumblebee… I like her a lot, but I'm worried too … It was bad enough that I couldn't have any friends because of the Decepticons were always after me. But, Lily, she's got the Decepticons after her before she even really became my friend… Maybe she'd even understand a little of what I've been through… Any suggestions?"
"I wondered through fiction to look for the truth, buried beneath all the lies. I stood at a distance to feel who you are, hiding myself in your eyes. Hold on, before it's too late. We'll run till we leave this behind. Don't fall, just be who you are. It's all we need in our lives…" a soft voice sang from the backseat causing Daniel to jump and flush crimson.
Daniel looked back to see Grace stretched out in Bumblebee's backseat with a wide grin on her face. "G-Grace?"
"Awe, little Danny boy is in Luv," she grinned as she sat up. "Don't you worry your empty little head, Dan. What sort of best friend would I be if I didn't help you get his dream girl?"
"Grace …" Daniel said as warningly as he could, though it came out more of a squeak.
"I have to admit she isn't as curvy as yours truly, but she has a cute face and butt, it's rare to get a girl with both ends cute. Amazing that you've got a love interest and a best friend like that is a one in a million." Grace said as she climbed up into the passenger seat and sitting long way across with her calves resting in Daniel's lap.
"Please don't get involved Annabelle …" Daniel begged as he closed his eyes.
"Oh Daniel … you know how I love it when you call me by my real name …" she said before digging her bare heel into his crotch. "Ass."
"Bitch …" Daniel squeaked glaring at the girl's mischievous eyes.
"And you love me for it," She grinned, "Now then, about your romance situation," Grace said pulling her legs up and sitting properly in the seat. "Right now isn't a good time to truly sweep her off her feet. She's got it rough right now, but this is the perfect opportunity to lay some foundation." Grace stretched in the seat. "And I was talking with Rosie earlier. She said Lily thinks your accent is hot."
"What accent?" Daniel blinked.
"You tell me, these British guys are weird…" Grace shrugged.
"You said it," Daniel chuckled before sitting back in the leather seats.
"You can't talk, you're the one who likes-likes one," Grace said before sitting back herself. "You know your mom and dad would be proud of you, right?" she asked after a moment of silence between them.
"Hm?" Daniel asked glancing to the blond beside him.
"I just barely remember Uncle Sam and Aunt Mick …but … I know they'd be really proud of how you turned out," Grace said glancing out the passenger side window.
"How do you know?" He asked softly.
"Because even though you are annoying, impulsive, thickskulled, and dumb as a brick … I'm really proud to have you as my best friend." she said leaning in to kiss his cheek. "And I'm going to help you get the girl on one condition … when I find a hunk of burning love I want you and your old rust-bucket here will have to help me get him."
"That could actually be kind of fun," Daniel beamed at the blond.
"Me and my big mouth…" she groaned as she rubbed her forehead.
The two friends remained in the yellow Camaro for sometime chatting with each other and the car itself, before climbing out. Grace with a bounce to her step and Daniel slightly flushed from one of the blonde's off color comments, neither noticing the redheaded girl watching closely from the window of the house.
---
The following week went by uneventfully as most of the Order and Autobots interacted at Grimmauld Place with the exception of Harry and Lily, who understandably kept to themselves or each other. The time finally came to go to King's Crossing and Platform 9 ¾. Rose, Hugo, Ron and Hermione rode to the train station with Daniel in Bumblebee while Lily rode with her father in the blue flamed semi that was Optimus Prime.
"You alright?" Harry finally asked his notably quiet daughter.
"As alright as possible, concidering…" Lily said watching the golden yellow Camaro driving in front of them. "You'd think the Ministry would drop the charges against you, Dad … after all so many saw the Autobots attack that … thing that did … that …." Lily drifted off as she thought of the cause of her nightmares.
"Seems to be the theme of the Ministry, darling," Harry sighed, "Cover up the real threat and hope the real danger goes away."
"Don't worry," Harry said placing a hand on his daughter's shoulder. "Besides you have your cousins and Daniel at Hogwarts with you." Harry narrowed his eyes when he felt her stiffen at the mention of the boy's name. "Has he done something?" Harry's voice dropped dangerously.
"No, he hasn't," Lily said quickly, before bowing her head. "At least not with me …"
"Have you talked to him?" Optimus spoke up, catching both humans by surprise.
"What different would it make?" Lily asked crossing her arms.
"You would be surprised, young one," Optimus said with a hint of humor in his deep voice. "Many strained situations can be resolved with communication. Try it and you will see."
The two vehicles came to a stop just outside King's Crossing. "You're not coming?" Lily asked as she started to climb out of the truck.
"Wish I could sweetheart, but I can't," Harry said leaning over to kiss her forehead. "Wanted man, remember? But you be good, and if you see anything suspicious at all tell a professor. Understand?" Lily nodded. "Good, I love you, princess."
"Love you too, Daddy, and you don't do anything stupid," Lily said giving him a firm stare she had to have learned from her aunt Hermione, "Don't try to deny, Aunt Hermione has told me stories since I was a little girl. And the whole communication thing Optimus was talking about goes for you too. Aunt Hermione's worried fiercely about you."
Harry sighed as he watched Lily follow Hermione, Ron, and the others up the steps into the train station. "It won't be this way much longer my friend," Optimus deep yet soothing voice spoke. "I will give my all to insure your wars will end soon."
"Thank you," Harry gave a small smile as he patted the steering wheel.
Meanwhile Hermione and Ron made certain the children made it onto the train cars safely. Ron giving the kids his usual anti-Slytherin warnings while Hermione studied the train's locomotive with a hard stare. "Something the matter?" Ron asked his bushy haired wife.
"No … just it looks … slightly different." Hermione said without loosing her suspicious gaze.
"Probably just upgraded, new technology and all." Ron shrugged as he waved to the four kids, though had they taken a closer look they would have seen the symbol of the Decepticons on the front of the train, and the total lack of engineers as it pulled out.
---
The trip was a quiet one as they approached the train station to make their way toward the school. "Think we have time for a quick round of Wizard Chess before we have to get off?" Rose asked as she and Lily reentered the cabin they shared with Daniel and Hugo after changing into their school robes.
"Doubt it," Hugo said looking out the window. "We're about to …huh …" he stopped.
"What's wrong?" Daniel asked blinking in surprise.
"We just passed the train station …" Hugo said before falling forward as the train sped up.
Daniel quickly moved to the window and glanced out to see what was going on. "Oh god …" he breathed as he saw a squadron of fighter jets flying over the train, one of which he would recognize anywhere. "Starscream …"
"Decepticons?" Rose squeaked with wide eyes. "But Hogwarts has wards that keep mechanical technology from working…"
"technology yes," Lily said grimly as she pulled her wand from her robes. "But living machines? I don't think the wizards who made the wards had them in mind when they placed the wards around the school."
"Hang on!" Daniel said as he pulled Lily to the floor and covered her as the train whipped slammed jumped track and roared toward the ancient Hogwarts Castle. Students screamed as the cars jumped and twisted as it bounced along behind the roaring train.
In a sharp turn that a train should not possibly be able to make, the cars were whipped around and thrown toward the school, shattering the stone wall in a nightmarish crash. Once the tumbling stopped Daniel looked up, and brushed the small stream of blood from his forehead. "Are you ok?" He asked the smaller framed redhead in his arms. Lily nodded wordlessly before he glanced around the devastation that was once the train compartment. "Rose, Hugo, you guys ok?"
"Fine …" Rose grunted as she fought to get back upright while pushing her skirt back in the right direction.
"I'm not dead if that's a decent answer, "Hugo grunted from under the pile of their trunks.
"Let's get out of here," Daniel and Hugo helped the girls climb out of the broken window of the sideways train car before climbing out themselves. "Ok this can't get much worse…" Daniel whispered as he saw the locomotive shifting and changing as the jets also shifted and changed as they landed on Hogwarts land. He then caught sight of Megatron in his jet mode approaching, leading five full grown dragons, each carrying a yellow construction vehicle. "Ok, it just got worse."
"DECEPTICONS!!" Megatron bellowed as he transformed, "BREACH THEIR DEFENSES!!"
---
Minerva McGonagall was preparing her last tea before the students arrived when a massive blast shook the castle. "What?" she breathed before running to the window and glanced out to see the large group of Decepticons and Dragons converging on the school. "Oh no …" she quickly touched her Phoenix mark with her wand before turning to the fire place both to contact help.
"Mr. Minister!" McGonagall said as her face appeared in Minister Cunningham's fireplace.
"What's the matter, my dear?" Minister Cunningham said with a pacifying smile.
"Hogwarts is under attack! We need Aurors, preferable all of them!" McGonagall cried in alarm. "Send them now!"
"From who?" Cunningham's eyes widened.
"It's … I'm not sure but we need help, NOW," McGonagall left out what she knew Cunningham openly didn't believe in. "They're a type of giants and heavily armed. The students and faculty are in grave danger!"
"Don't worry, help is on the way, I'll send our full Auror corp. immediately." He said in a reassuring tone. "Just hold on just a little longer. Help is on the way."
"Thank you, Minister, please hurry…" she said as she disappeared from the fire.
Cunningham walked to his desk and touched his wand to a stone. "Ms. Pope," he said to his secretary. "Contact the Auror Corp. office." He paused for a moment.
"Give them the day off, with pay. Thank you my dear." He removed the wand from the stone and sat back with a pleased smile on his face. "All hail Megatron."
---
On the other side of England Harry Potter and the others with him stormed from Grimmauld in a hard pace. "We don't have time to make a plan, Hermione," Harry argued as they approached the Autobots. "Hogwarts is under attack which means the kids are in danger. If we're going to stop another war from breaking out it has to end, today." Harry snapped as the Autobots turned to face him.
"We're behind you, mate, just say the word." Ron said as he stepped up on the other side of Hermione.
"Suicidal and insane," Hermione shook her head. "Par usual, hm Harry?"
"This is your field of battle, my friend," Optimus said glancing down at the former Boy Who Lived. "Give the command and it will be followed." He said glancing at his team, then back to the humans.
"Alright then," Harry said glancing around at the wizards, witches and Cybertronians. "Only one thing to do now." He said turning toward the road. "Autobots, Transform! Order, Load up! Let's roll out!"
To Be Continued
Next chapter: The Second Battle of Hogwarts begins... will this be the end or just the beginning?