Disclaimer: Harry Potter and related characters are owned by J. K. Rowling, Bloomsbury, Scholastic, Warner Brothers and various publishers. Transformers and related characters are owned by Hasbro, Takara, IDW Publishing, Dreamworks, and various publishers. No money is being made off of this work.
A/N I send a curse to Christmas shopping. My paycheck has balanced out. Grrr. I'll have to wait another month before I can start saving again. Of course, my own impulsive buying is to blame as well: two days ago I bought a Botcon exclusive Autobot Ratchet off of Ebay. Hardcore Transformers fans should know how expensive those get.
Chapter 19: Starscream's Folly
Almost immediately after Megatron had returned from the massacre, Soundwave approached him and said, "Frenzy has returned."
"Is that so?" said Megatron sitting down on his throne. "Well let's see what he has for us today."
About a minute later, Frenzy scurried into the chamber dragging an object about as large as himself. "Got it! Got it! Got it! Heeya! Got it!" he screeched. Frenzy soon entered a more lit section to reveal that the object he had was none other than Wheeljack's Gauntlet.
Frenzy leapt into Soundwave's chest compartment. "Downloading information," said Soundwave. When he was finished, Soundwave picked up the gauntlet and handed it to Megatron. He whispered something to his master.
Megatron burst out laughing as he took the gauntlet. "Well what do you know, Shockwave?" said Megatron. "The Autobots seem to have succeeded at something you have been working fruitlessly on for months: a device that allows Cybertronians to wield magic!"
Shockwave looked dismayed. "I cannot comprehend the logic that the Autobots could've achieved something that I have failed to do, Lord Megatron," he said.
"Well perhaps rethinking your experiments would be the way to go," said Megatron. "Whichever way, I will permit you to continue your experiments. Using this gauntlet apparently requires the use of a wand. And while I do have one in particular in mind, that particular wand is hidden within the tomb at the magical school..."
Before Megatron could complete his sentence, Starscream suddenly zoomed past him in his F-22 mode, snatching the gauntlet straight out of Megatron's hand and flying off out of the hideout.
Megatron frowned and said, "I should've seen that coming. Well, I might as well take care of this business myself." He transformed into his jet mode and flew off after Starscream.
* * *
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry was the finest institute of magical education in all of Europe, and arguably the entire world. The school was a castle situated deep within the Highlands of Scotland by a large lake which was home to a giant squid and a colony of merpeople, and a deep, dark forest which housed all manners of monstrous creatures and was watched over by the centaur race. Nearby was the town of Hogsmeade, the only one hundred percent wizarding town in all of Britain.
On that bright, sunshiny early September day, Head Mistress Minerva McGonagall was holding a meeting with the Groundskeeper and Care of Magical Creatures Instructor Rubeus Hagrid, and the newly appointed Herbology Professor Neville Longbottom. Currently, they were up in the Head Mistress's office.
"I don't get it," said Neville. "What is it that Harry wants?"
"An emergency meeting of the Order of the Phoenix," said McGonagall. "He explicitly stated that all current members of the reformed Order were to meet at a location of his choosing." She removed a magnifying glass from an envelope lying on her desk. "He sent us this portkey which will activate when I give the password."
"Are you sure it's wise to leave the school at this time?" asked Neville. "We've got classes and the Sorting Ceremony postponed with the new students housed in a temporary dorm. They've all been rather scared since their classmates and several Order members were captured."
"Normally I would agree, Professor Longbottom," said McGonagall. Neville felt awkward, not quite used to being called "Professor" yet. "However, Harry was insistent and I am inclined to believe that whatever he has to say, it is very important."
"Did he say what the meeting is about?" asked Neville.
"No he didn't," answered McGonagall. "But I would say it is safe to assume it is about the 'abnomalies' and our captured students and Order members. Perhaps he's learned a valuable clue of some sort."
"Ah, yeh know Harry," said Hagrid. "He wouldna be callin' this meetin' if weren' somethin' important. I fer one am ready ta go."
"I have left Professor Flitwick in charge for the time being," said McGonagall. "If you are both ready, I believe it is time we left." She held up the portkey.
Hagrid took hold of the portkey in his large hands. Neville sighed and touched the portkey as well and they were instantly gone.
About fifteen minutes later, chaos erupted.
* * *
From the skies from the south an F-22 Raptor suddenly appeared with the crash of a sonic boom. The jet circled around the vast castle once before firing a series of missiles at the magical structure. The mighty, magical defenses of Hogwarts clearly had no effect on the jet's technology as the castle was rocked with a series of explosions. Several young students who were caught outside panicked and attempted to make their escape into the castle.
The situation became worse as the F-22 transformed into Starscream and landed with a thud right by the Quidditch Pitch. The panic of the students turned to full blown terror as they realized that the rumored "abnomalies" had easily penetrated even the sanctuary of Hogwarts. Students fled throughout the castle, trying desperately to escape into parts of the school that were thought to be safer.
Several Gryffindor students and a few from the other houses attempted to fire curses at the robot. Starscream paid them no heed as he slowly stalked over toward his target, the glistening white tomb of the late Albus Dumbledore. Standing over it, Starscream fitted Wheeljack's Gauntlet on his right hand and pointed it over the tomb.
With the sound of suction, a device flew out of the tomb, making a thin hole in the marble, and straight into the gauntlet: The Elder Wand.
"Ha! It's mine!" declared Starscream. "The wand that can never lose in a duel! Ultimate power is finally mine!" He started laughing, only to stop when a silver, alien jet flew toward him from the south. "Came after me already?" he said, "You're a fool, Megatron."
"You're an idiot, Starscream," countered Megatron as he transformed into his robot mode, landing right next to the castle. "Did you really think you could actually usurp leadership from me with that silly, wooden fleshling tool?"
"This is no mere tool, Megatron and you know it!" declared Starscream. "This is the Elder Wand, one of the Deathly Hallows. The wielder of this wand will never lose a duel, and with the ability to use magic granted by this gauntlet, I am now hereby all powerful!" He pointed the gauntlet at Megatron. "Now Megatron! For too long I have been subservient to you. No more! My day has come! I am now the master!" He fired a blast out of the gauntlet.
Megatron however merely swiped the spell aside with his arm. The spell instead took off a bit of Hogwarts's northern tower (where divinations classes were usually held).
"What?" exclaimed Starscream. "How..." Megatron was suddenly standing right in front of him, grabbing his right arm.
"Oh the irony Starscream: to think that you would make the same fatal mistake that foolish fleshling Voldemort made that led him to his defeat," said Megatron. "Perhaps next time you will have the proper patience to learn the entire story. The Elder Wand only uses its true potential when it is wielded by its rightful owner: in the current case, Harry Potter. If you wish to kill him and claim ownership of the wand, be my guest." Megatron's face considerably darkened as he said, "But understand that if you did that, I would have to kill you to claim ownership of the wand for myself. Am I getting through to you?"
Starscream gritted his teeth but he clearly got the message. Grudgingly, he took off the gauntlet and slapped it into Megatron's outstretched hand. Megatron fitted the gauntlet onto his own hand.
"Now, let me recall," said Megatron. "I believe the word was... Crucio."
Starscream suddenly recoiled as the Cruciatus Curse tore into him. The excruciating pain only lasted about a second or two but it was still enough to bring the treacherous seeker to his knees.
"Only a brief moment," said Megatron as he examined the gauntlet. Starscream glared at him as he stood back up. Megatron glared back and said, "Had I been the proper master of this wand the pain would've lasted far longer. At its present state it wouldn't be wise to rely on this wand." He jabbed his finger into Starscream's torso and said, "Remember this, Starscream, and remember to tell all of our forces as well: Harry Potter is mine! I don't want any of my own troops ruining the next step to my ultimate goal."
"As you wish, Lord Megatron," Starscream said grudgingly.
"Well, now that we have established that." Megatron turned toward the castle. "Tell me: don't you think these grounds would be a perfect location for our next base of operations?"
Starscream grinned as he pulled out his firearms. "For once, we agree."
* * *
Back at the Decepticon hangout, Mirage was in his alternative mode, a blue Ferrari F2002 Formula-1 Race Car with the legend "Witwicky Sparkplugs & Spikes" written along the wing and the racing number "26" on the front. Hermione was sitting in his driver's seat working diligently on the driver's steering wheel interface while Luna was standing right outside, looking over Hermione's work and occasionally lending a hand. Draco was in a far corner, sulking. Hermione also had Draco place a spell on the students, keeping them sleeping just a little longer: not quite ready to take care of them yet.
"You sure this is going to work?" asked Mirage. "This isn't exactly standard maintenance procedure you know. I am so NOT going to be happy if this doesn't work after I let you mess around with my circuits."
"Oh honestly, I know precisely what I'm doing," snapped Hermione. "Wheeljack taught me a lot about your internal machinery, and when combined with a few charms and spells of my own creation... there! That should send out a pulse that only an Autobot can detect. Hopefully, it'll be someone smart enough to break us out of here." She looked up to see that Luna was staring intently at Draco. "Um... Luna. I know you're angry about what he's done but we really can't afford to..."
"I'm not angry," said Luna. "How can I be? He's lost his parents as well. We're like a pair of doom-gloom cribblers, nymphs who suffer the same grief."
Hermione decided that she could understand where Luna was coming from. She climbed out of the F-1 Race Car and said, "OK, I guess all we can do now is wait for an Autobot to answer the distress signal."
"Fair enough," said Mirage as he transformed back into a robot. "Really though what do you plan to do if the rescue comes down for a fight for our lives. Sorry to say this but if we're going against the Decepticons you guys are on your own."
"We'll have to figure out a spell that we can use on them other than Reducto," said Hermione. "If only I could think of something..."
Draco cleared his throat. "What about that cutting spell Potter used on me back during our sixth year?" he said.
Hermione frowned. "Sectasempra?" she said. It wasn't a spell she was particularly fond of (far from it actually as it had caused a large falling out with Harry) but when she actually thought about, it was one curse she could actually see working on the robots: Sectasempra dealt with the physical in a similar way to Reducto. "Well... I know... how to use it..." she said hesitantly, "and I do... think that just might work... so I guess I could teach everyone..."
"What about them?" said Draco, gesturing toward the various Weasleys stationed around the chamber, "We going to fight them off as well if it comes to it? I already tried a stunner and disarmer on them and they just used Protego to block all of my spells."
Hermione was outraged to say the least. "You used curses on... oh never mind!" she snapped. "I think I know just how to take care of them." She turned to Luna and said, "You were with the Weasleys when they were infected yet you aren't under their control. I was wondering why that was the case."
Luna was a little surprised that she had failed to note this fact. "Er... because I recite the 'Creed of the Dwarf Patties' three times a day?"
Hermione grinned. "No. I think this rather has to do with the 'miteoads'."
"What?" said Luna. Hermione however instead sauntered over to Draco.
"Malfoy, could I borrow your wand?" she asked.
Draco scoffed. "Hmph, yeah right. Like I'm actually stupid enough to disarm myself while being held prisoner in an 'abnomalie'... EEP!" Hermione had suddenly, yanked Draco up by his collar, her face right in his.
"GIVE - ME - YOUR - WAND!" she snarled, heavy emphasis on each word. She then said in a sugary sweet voice, "Please."
A little shaken up, Draco wordlessly handed Hermione his wand.
Gripping Draco's wand, Hermione walked over to Ginny. Ginny simply stood there, glassy eyed with a vacant expression on her face. "I'm willing to bet that the Decepticons only ordered all of you, aside from keeping watch on us, to protect yourselves from curses," said Hermione. "But, what about charms?" Hermione waved the wand back and forth and said, "Scourgify!"
The effect was instantaneous. Ginny's eyes immediately sparkled with their usual brown color. She blinked several times before swaying. She managed to keep herself from falling down as she looked around the chamber, confusion on her face. "What in the world..." She looked up at the brunette witch before her and asked, "Hermione? What's going on?"
"Ginny! You're back!" exclaimed Hermione. "Give me my wand. Help me cure the rest of your family: we don't have much time."
A/N Well at least I'm managing to stay on schedule. So now that we've got the moment where Starscream acts like... well Starscream, we're ready to move on into the last legs of this fic. Hang on to your seatbelts everyone 'cause we're getting ready to ROLL OUT!