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A/N I feel like I owe my readers an apology. Last chapter I was feeling frustrated from this case of writer's block I've been having and I kind of took it out on my readers in my A/N. Note that I have no intention of abandoning this fic whatsoever. OK, on with the show.
Chapter 17: A Desperate Situation
The wizards and the four Autobots arrived at their destination with a crash. Harry groaned as he tried to stand up. "Where are we?" he muttered as he looked around. To his surprise, they were in the backyard of the Burrow. "How'd we end up here?"
"Don't ask me, I was too busy concentrating on not getting any of us splinched," muttered Ron. "Good God, what kind of nutcase are you suggesting we each side-along two mega-large robots? If there's ever is a recipe for splinching time that would be it! And you know I've still got issues with my eyebrows."
Harry ignored Ron's complaints as he checked over the groaning Autobots. "I'm guessing we both think of this place as a safe spot," he said. "We probably both desired to escape here subconsciously."
"Well I know I could use some major CR time," said Rodimus.
"CR?" asked Harry.
"Cryogenic Regeneration," said Rodimus. "It's a medical treatment that rapidly accelerates our automatic repair systems. Like I said, I could really use some."
"We all could," said Bumblebee. "That was a major pounding we just took. I say rest here for a bit first though."
"I'm all for that," said Ironhide. He, Bumblebee, and Rodimus transformed into their vehicle modes and just stayed where they were. Grimlock transformed into a Tyrannosaurus and let out a humph.
"Me Grimlock no like running away," he growled. "But me need some rest time. Me go rest." Saying that he stalked off into the nearby woods.
"I could use some rest myself," said Harry. "Given how the Hogwarts Express takes nearly the entire day to get to Hogwarts, I doubt your family will be back yet. You think your Mum would mind if I grab a bite to eat?"
"Of course not," said Ron. "I could use some food as well."
The two friends chuckled as they walked into the house. They stopped short however when they noticed the Weasley Family Grandfather Clock. While the hand for Ron was pointed at "Home", the hands for Arthur, Molly, Percy, George, and Ginny were pointed at "Mortal Peril". Harry and Ron shared a concerned look.
"It... it might be nothing," Ron said hesitantly. "I mean, back during the war, the hands were pointed at 'Mortal Peril' all the time. And we are involved in another war now."
"True," said Harry. "But just in case, let's go to the Ark and see if anything's up."
* * *
Only a few minutes later, Harry and Ron received some of the most alarming news they had ever encountered. "WHAT?" Ron yelled. "WHAT DO YOU MEAN 'CAPTURED'?"
"It is as I said," said Optimus Prime. "The Hogwarts Express had somehow been slipped with the Decepticon Astrotrain. When we went to its rescue, we were attacked by a team of Decepticons led by Megatron himself. They escaped with the carriage and..." Optimus paused, "we suffered a casualty."
"Casulty?" asked Bumblebee. "What happened?"
"Cliffjumper," Prime said gravely.
Bumblebee scoffed. "Cliffjumper? What, he got over overeager and stepped on a pulse mine again?" He started to laugh only to stop at the sorrowful look on Prime's face. "Wait a minute. What are you trying to say, Optimus? Cliffjumper? He can't be... I mean really..." Optimus's nod confirmed Bumblebee's fear. "Cliffjumper! No! By Primus, NO! NO! Primus, NO!" He transformed into his camaro mode and drove down toward the medical bay.
Rodimus and Ironhide were horrified and even Grimlock looked mournful. "By the Primal Source," said Rodimus, "Cliffjumper."
Harry simply stared at Optimus. "Captured?" he said. "Hermione? Ginny? Luna? The Weasleys? Captured?" His grip on his wand tightened and his teeth gritted. "I'm going after them! We know where the Decepticons are hiding! I'm getting them out!"
"No!" said Optimus. "Now is not the time for rash action!"
"Not the time for... they've got our loved ones!" yelled Ron. "I'm with you Harry! Let's go!"
"So am I!" declared Rodimus. "I'm in this as well. Come on boys, let's roll!"
"No!" said Optimus, standing in front of them. "I'm not about to let all of you run off a on a crazy suicide mission and let yourselves be killed."
"They've got Hermione!" yelled Harry, "And the Weasleys and Luna! God knows what they're doing to them!"
"Most likely keeping them alive for the time being," said Dumbledore's voice. Startled, Harry pulled out his mentor's Chocolate Frog Card. "Think of this logically," said Dumbledore. "Why this elaborate and rather public kidnapping? It wouldn't be for their experiments: they already have plenty of 'test material'. So for what reason would they go through this trouble?"
Harry started thinking. Finally he concluded, "Ransom. Exchange the prisoners for the Elder Wand and the Invisibility Cloak."
"Well done Harry," said Dumbledore. "I see that Miss Granger has taught you well. Naturally, they will keep them alive until the terms are made which I am certain will be arranged at a near future time."
Harry gritted his teeth and his fist tightened painfully. In the end however he knew what they were all telling him was true. "Fine!" he spat. "I'll wait till Megatron makes his demands. But if he dares to even touch Hermione in any way I'll Sectasempra his head off myself!"
"B-but still," said Ron. "We know how to fight them now! And with the Autobots with us..."
"The Autobots are in no condition to fight," said Prime. "Cliffjumper is dead. Springer and Jetfire are in CR right now and it looks as if Rodimus, Bumblebee, Ironhide, and Grimlock will be needing it as well. I myself was in a CR chamber until just recently and I'm not quite fully repaired yet. Ratchet and Wheeljack have their hands full taking care of our repairs and our reinforcements are yet to arrive."
"Hey, I can do this!" declared Rodimus. "Point me to their direction and I'll... I'll... uhhhh..." Rodimus suddenly started swaying on his feet. Within a matter of seconds, he had collapsed onto the ground in a jumbled heap.
"This illustrates my point exactly," said Optimus as he helped the damaged Rodimus back up. "Ironhide, take him over to CR. While you're at it, you should get some CR time as well."
"Yeah sure," said Ironhide as Prime passed Rodimus over to him. "Come on kid, let's get that turbocharger of yours into a CR chamber."
"Yeah... whatever..." groaned Rodimus.
With a reluctant sigh Ron relented.
"What I'd like to know is how the Decepticons captured the carriage without any resistance from the Order," said Harry. "Even with just Reducto the Order should've been able to make things a bit more difficult for them."
"We already know how they did that," said Ratchet, entering the chamber, "Cerebo shells."
"The same stuff they were using to control their slaves at their hideout?" asked Harry.
"Right, they're a specialty of Bombshell," said Ratchet. "It looks like the Weasley family was infected by them when the Insecticons attacked your homes."
"What?" exclaimed Ron.
"Hold still for a while," said Ratchet. He trained his scalpel hand over Ron. A light emerged from the scalpel which seemingly scanned Ron's head. "Just as I've suspected, you've been infected as well."
That was definitely a shock for Ron. "You're kidding me!"
"I kid you not," said Ratchet. "It's a good thing the Insecticons weren't at the hideout at the time: they probably would've taken control of you if they had. Now, hold still once more: this shouldn't harm organics." Ratchet's scalpel emitted a concentrated beam at Ron's head. Ron felt a tingling feeling at the back of his skull but was otherwise unharmed. "There we go," said Ratchet, "All taken care of."
"When was I infected in the first place?" Ron wondered out loud. Thinking back to his family's fight against the Insecticons, Ron remembered that they hadn't been able to counterattack all of Bombshell's attacks. One of those attacks must've been the shells.
"I don't like waiting," muttered Harry. "Sod it! I don't like this." He started pacing back and forth. "There's got to be something we can do..."
Ron shrugged and suggested, "Teach the Order how to fight the Decepticons?"
Harry snapped his fingers. "That's a good idea," he said. "I'm going back to my flat and getting to a floo. I'm going to call for an emergency meeting of the Order of the Phoenix." He looked up at Optimus Prime and said, "And I think it's about we all took care of all of the misunderstandings between each other."
"Oh?" said Prime. "What did you have in mind?"
Harry smirked and said, "I say, it's about time to put an end to the whole Robots in Disguise concept."
* * *
Back at the Decepticons' hideout, Megatron and several of his minions were examining the remains of Blitzwing. "Well Shockwave, what do you make of this?" asked Megatron.
"There is only one logical conclusion to all of this," said Shockwave. "The wizards have somehow figured out a way to harm us."
"This does place things in an interesting situation for us," said Megatron. "We just may have lost some of the edge we've had against the fleshlings." He turned toward Soundwave and asked, "Has Frenzy returned yet?"
"Negative Megatron," said Soundwave in his cold metallic voice. "But I have reestablished communications with him. He is en route."
"Contact him and tell him to speed it up," said Megatron. "We're going to have to accelerate our plans a little." He turned back toward Blitzwing's corpse. "Whichever way this changes nothing. We will continue as planned, only at a slightly faster pace." He turned toward the other Decepticons and said, "Place the wounded in CR: we will be needing them soon enough. See that Blitzwing's remains receive the proper treatment deserving of him. Alert me first thing when Frenzy returns."
"Will there be anything else Lord Megatron?" asked Soundwave.
"Yes, we're going to need reinforcements," said Megatron. "Send a signal to the Stunticons, Predacons, and Sixshot. Tell them that we will be accelerating our plans." He smirked and said, "In the meantime perhaps it is time I paid our 'guests' a visit."
A/N I hate writer's block. It's slowing my pace down frustratingly rapidly that I may not be able to update as frequently as I do. Plus, I've got Christmas shopping to do and I have no blasted clue on what to get my family. Well OK, I guess I have a few ideas. Nevertheless, I'll try to keep at this fic at a regular pace.