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A/N It has happened. My most dreaded enemy has struck. One that I had managed to generally avoid or glance over with only miniscule amounts but not so any more. Writer's Block! Curse you! It's frustrating when you know what you want to write only you can't think of a way to put in words. Hopefully, this won't slow down my every three days posting schedule.
Chapter 12: Wheeljack's Gauntlet
While the Ark was a bit too far away to Apparate to, Hermione had successfully created several portkeys that would transport them back and forth between the Cybertronians' vessel and England. Hermione had found the alien technology to be absolutely fascinating and wanted to learn as much about the alien world as she could. As such, she discovered that Wheeljack was every bit as curious about magic for his part.
"It's incredible really," said Wheeljack. "The variables required, the amount of energy that's transferred. Ha! To the untrained mind it would look like it defies logic!"
"It does defy logic," said Hermione. "Many wizards and witches don't have a sense of logic at all since magic defies the conventional rules of logic."
"The conventional rules, yes," said Wheeljack. He was busy tinkering away at some kind of mechanical device. "But its own rules, that's different. If you look at it from that context there definitely is a type of logic at work, albeit a wrapped one."
Hermione thought for a moment and said, "That's true. There is a set of rules that magic tends to follow, especially when used with wands."
Wheeljack continued tinkering away on his project. "Well... with this new info... I can... ah ha! Success!" Wheeljack held up what resembled a gauntlet, just about the right size for a Cybertronian. It was designed to fit onto the wrist with metallic connections into the fingertips. There was a tiny insertion on the bit of the gauntlet that covered the palm. "Thanks a lot. I would've never finished it without your help."
"I'm glad I was able to," said Hermione. "So what is it?"
"That's what I'd like to know," said Ratchet, entering the bay accompanied by Cliffjumper. "What's the latest 'miracle' device, Wheeljack?"
"Yeah! Will it beat up the bad guys?" asked Cliffjumper. "Oh I know! It increases your punching power, doesn't it?"
"Not even close," said Wheeljack as he fitted the gauntlet onto his own wrist. "Now as we know, magic is a realm beyond the capabilities of a Cybertronian. The only way we can wield even a miniscule portion of it is if we make a direct connection between a wand and our Sparks."
"OK," said Ratchet.
Wheeljack continued, "Now, using information provided to me by the lovely lady," this caused Hermione to blush, "I theorized that the wand to Spark connection with the right adjustments could be magnified by a hundredfold: hence this gauntlet."
"What? You mean we can use magic with that thing?" exclaimed Cliffjumper.
"That's exactly what I'm saying," said Wheeljack. "First you insert a wand." Hermione suddenly felt a quick vacuum engulf her as her wand flew out of her possession straight into the gauntlet's insertion.
"Hey!" she exclaimed.
"Sorry about that, but it's a little difficult to pick something up that tiny," said Wheeljack. "Anyway, as of now with some of the information provided to me by the lovely Miss Granger, all I need to do is swish and flick my arm and say 'Wingardium Leviosa' and..."
"WHOA!" exclaimed Cliffjumper as he suddenly shot up into the air. He hit the ceiling, ricocheted off of it and hit the wall, and continued bouncing around necessitating that Ratchet and Hermione duck a few times to avoid being hit. Finally, he landed on the ground with a crash. "What did I ever do to you?" he exclaimed.
"Uh... worked a little too well," said Wheeljack. "Well at least it works. Of course that doesn't necessarily mean that the usual curses would work since they're designed to affect organics. So even if I were to point my arm at you and say 'Stupefy' it..."
A jet of light suddenly fired out of Wheeljack's hand and hit Ratchet square in the chest, sending him crashing into the wall opposite of them. While whenever wizards used curses against them they didn't work, apparently when Cybertronians used curses with the gauntlet against other Cybertronians they worked fine: Ratchet had been knocked into stasis lock.
"Oops," muttered Wheeljack. He pulled off the gauntlet as if it were on fire while the wand popped out. Hermione managed to catch her wand while Wheeljack went over to Rathcet's side and started reactivating him.
"Congratulations Wheeljack, it works perfectly," Ratchet muttered dryly as he woke up.
"Yeah, I've really got to tone things down," said Wheeljack. "Can't figure out how the curse actually worked though."
"Um, I have a theory," said Hermione. She looked a little uncomfortable being under the Autobot's scrutiny but continued, "Well, the gauntlet channels energy directly from your 'Sparks' into the wand converting it into magic right? Well my guess is that whenever a wizard or witch is using a spell against you it's hitting your exoskeleton or internal machinery which means that a spell used for organics wouldn't have any effect. With the gauntlet though, I guess that since the spell is drawn out of your 'Sparks' it also affects the target's 'Spark' directly rather than the machinery."
"Nice to know how much of a genius you are, Wheeljack," Cliffjumper said dryly.
"I scare myself at times as well," said Wheeljack.
* * *
With the swirl of colors of an activated portkey, two wizards found themselves standing within the hangar of the Ark. "Bloody hell! This place is wicked!" exclaimed Ron.
"Yeah, I agree," said Harry. "I'll give you the grand tour later. I want to talk to Optimus first."
"Hey, lead the way fearless leader!" said Ron as he gleefully followed Harry down the passages of the Ark. "I still can't believe it though. I mean sentient beings from another planet? I've never even heard of the concept!"
"Really? It's a widespread urban legend in muggle societies," said Harry. "Interestingly in the same way wizards, witches, and fantastic beasts are."
"Ha! Well shows how much muggles know," said Ron. He and Harry turned around a corner and ran into Hermione accompanied by Wheeljack, Ratchet, and Cliffjumper. "Hermione!" he exclaimed.
"Ron!" Hermione started. As the two hadn't seen each other since their break up an awkward pause came about them. "So... er... I guess you've met the Autobots."
"Er... yeah," said Ron. "They saved my family from the Decepticons."
"Oh! So you're part of the family Rodimus's taken watch over," said Ratchet.
"The Weasleys were attacked by Decepticons?" exclaimed Hermione.
"Don't worry. Everybody's OK," said Ron. "Well... almost everybody."
"Hermione, Xenophilius Lovegood was killed," explained Harry.
Hermione gasped. "Is... is Luna OK?" she asked.
"She's been better," said Ron. "I'm sure she'll be all right though. She's at the Burrow." He looked back and forth between. "So, you two were together when you met them? Hermione and I might be broken up but the last I checked, Harry and Ginny..."
"Let's just talk to Optimus, OK?" interrupted Harry. "Hermione, could you come with us? We've got some interesting news."
"What is it?" asked Hermione, following her two best friends.
"The Order of the Phoenix has been reactivated," said Harry. "As we're now members of the group, we have several assignments to do."
* * *
"I do find this interesting," said Optimus after Harry had explained everything to him. "Will you be accompanying the Hogwarts Express during its journey?"
"I can't," said Harry. "The Minister wants Ron and myself to investigate this place in Southern France. Apparently people have gone missing in the area after seeing a site being worked on by driverless construction vehicles."
That caught the Autobots' attention. "Constructicons," said Wheeljack.
"We don't know that for sure," said Cliffjumper.
"But most likely," said Ratchet.
"Bad news, eh?" said Ron.
"Very much indeed," said Prime. "I personally do not want you investigating a possible site of Decepticon activity."
"Hey! They're after the Hallows! That means I'm involved in this no matter what!" exclaimed Harry. "I am NOT going to sit out on the sidelines while all of you robots carry out on your own! Like it or not I'm involved now!"
Hermione looked toward Harry with a mix of worry and admiration. Optimus looked impressed. He chuckled and said, "I must admit you are unique amongst the humans I have met, Harry. Aside from Rodimus and Bumblebee I will assign a few more Autobots to accompany you to the site."
"How about the Hogwarts Express?" asked Ron. "Any students going to Hogwarts is at risk, especially since the Elder Wand is hidden in Dumbledore's tomb."
"And they're not going to find that out any time soon," declared Harry. "Still, they might attack the train if they find out that it has something to do with the wand, even remotely."
"Well I'll accompany it," Harry and Ron turned to Hermione, surprised by her words. "I'm also a member of the Order now so it would make sense that I'm the one with the train since Harry and Ron aren't available."
"Hermione," said Harry, "it could be dangerous."
Hermione gently placed her hand on Harry's cheek and smiled. "You know I'm not one to wait on the sidelines either," she said. "Don't worry. I'll make sure to be extra careful. And I do think the students will be that much safer if I'm with them."
Harry sighed. "I don't know..."
"Trust me Harry."
Harry let out a breath. "Well, OK then." Hermione grinned and drew Harry into a strong hug. Ron, feeling awkward, looked away from them.
"Think of her like a sister my arse," he muttered, quietly so that no one else could hear.
Optimus turned to his medic. "Ratchet, I want you to assemble a team to accompany the Hogwarts Express to Scotland. I'll be monitoring it from here."
"Right," said Ratchet. "But I hear that the train jumps tracks magically. That's going to be impossible to stay with at all times."
"You can do it from the air," said Ron. He turned nearly as red as his hair when Optimus and Ratchet turned their attention on him. "Well... during our second year... Harry and I that is... we er... followed it in my Dad's flying Ford Anglia."
"Oh? I'd like to see a car flying by magic," said Wheeljack.
"I'll assign Jetfire to accompany the Hogwarts Express as well," said Optimus. "That should cover everything."
"OK," said Harry. "I just hope everything works out fine on September 1st."
As this discussion was going on, everybody had conveniently forgotten about Wheeljack's gauntlet. Furthermore, everybody had conveniently not spotted the silver Sony boombox that was just sitting there nearby.
A/N This is a filler chapter. In fact, I wrote this after I had already written what's going to be chapter 13. I wrote this chapter as an afterthought because I realized that it would be the perfect place to place the plot development that happens in this chapter. Sorry to disappoint people but I'm still going to wait a few days before I post the next chapter.