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 Ah yes. Here's my Christmas update. I hope everybody is having a wonderful holiday and spending their time with their loved ones. Merry Christmas everybody! God bless us, all of us.
Chapter 21: The Decepticons' Ultimatum
Back at the amphitheater, the Order and the Autobots were just starting to get to know each other when the three jets flew by. The Autobots instantly recognized them and got into battle ready mode. The wizards and witches also realized that something was wrong and pulled out their wands, ready for anything. Just as Harry and Optimus had returned, the jets touched down and transformed into Soundwave, Starscream, and Megatron.
Being in Megatron's presence for the first time Harry couldn't help but immediately note the near identical feeling he had to the fear he felt whenever he was near Voldemort's presence. This was Megatron, the Cybertronian counterpart to Voldemort and he didn't need a horcrux laden scar to tell him that Megatron was bad news.
Looking around, Harry could see that all of the Order members were feeling the same sensation of fear as him as well. They of course recognized the other two "abnomalies" whom had attacked Diagon Alley, but it was Megatron whom they were truly terrified of now. He also realized that all of the Autobots (with the possible exception of Optimus Prime) were also terrified, though they were bravely putting themselves before the wizards and witches.
Megatron looked around the assembled Autobots and magical humans and smirked. "Well, well, isn't this cozy?"
"You have a lot of nerve showing up with such a small force," said Prime, pointing his ion blaster at Megatron.
"Well naturally we're not here to fight, Prime," said Megatron. "And if you value the pathetic lives of our fleshling hostages, you would put your rifle down."
"The humans you abducted from the Hogwarts Express," said Prime. "Where are they?"
Megatron smirked. "Oh not just them," he said, "The entire population of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."
"WHAT?" exclaimed all wizards, witches, and Autobots assembled.
"As of now the school is officially occupied by Decepticon forces," said Megatron. "My troops are stationed all over the grounds even as we speak. Of course, with our previous hideout having been infiltrated already, we will be needing to transfer our current prisoners to Hogwarts as well."
"Why the honesty and sincerity in all this?" said Harry as he pointed his wand at the lord of destruction. "Why make it easier for us?"
Megatron turned to Harry and grinned. "Aaah, Harry Potter. At last we meet."
"I know what you want," declared Harry, "the cloak and the wand. You want to trade them for the hostages!"
Megatron started laughing. "Close! Oh so close!" he said. "That's true about the cloak. The wand however, is already in my possession!" He displayed Wheeljack's gauntlet on his right hand, the Elder Wand firmly placed within the palm slit.
"What the!" exclaimed Wheeljack. "How did... oh no, not again!"
Prime shot Wheeljack a look that said we'll talk later.
'He's got the Elder Wand! Damn it!' thought Harry. He could see that the Order members were confused by the exchange and he decided that they were better off not knowing about the Hallows unless absolutely necessary. 'At least I'm still the wand's owner which means Megatron won't be able to use it properly. Hopefully, he hasn't figured out that bit yet.'
"Now listen well as I make my demands," said Megatron. "Tomorrow, at the moment when the sun is at its highest point, the time you humans call 'noon', Harry Potter will be at the gates of Hogwarts with the cloak and with all Autobots on Earth present with him. If any of you wizards wish to be with him, be my guest. However, if they are not there, all fleshlings within a mile radius, to use a human measurement term, will perish."
"You're being generous," said Prime, "All Autobots plus the wizards with him? What's the deal with that?"
Megatron smirked. "Don't misunderstand me Prime; this is no prisoner exchange. This is the set up of our final battle!" He grinned as Prime's optics narrowed. "I want all Autobots in one place to make sure that none survive. As for the cloak, that's merely a bonus. What I really want is Harry Potter's life! After all, it wouldn't work unless I'm the master, right?"
Harry gritted his teeth as he instantly grasped the implication: Megatron knew about the ownership situation of the Elder Wand. 'Blast! That means he's not going to make the same mistake Voldemort made!' he thought. 'The only reason why I'm still alive right now is because he wants the Invisibility Cloak as well! Not to mention I'm standing right next to Optimus.'
"Why wait till tomorrow?" hissed Starscream. "Why not finish the job now?"
"Oh, want to finish it now?" said Jetfire, pointing his rifle at Starscream. "Give me the word and I'll finish it right here for you."
"Why even bother to try?" snarled Starscream as he pointed his Null Ray firearms back. "You know you don't stand a chance."
"What's up with those two?" whispered Ron as Starscream and Jetfire attempted to glare each other down.
"They used to be best friends," Bumblebee whispered back. At Ron's stunned look, Bumblebee continued, "I'm serious. Jetfire even had a brief stint with the Decepticons before he joined the Autobots."
The two F-22 robots looked about ready to carry out their grudge match when Optimus ordered, "Jetfire, stand down." At the same time Megatron snapped, "Do not question me, Starscream." Grudgingly, the two backed down.
"You seem to be rather confident," said Prime. "Unless my sources are messed up, I was under the impression that Blitzwing was killed by magic. That would mean that with the Autobots and wizards uniting, your forces would be at a severe disadvantage."
"Oh it's really quite simple Optimus," said Megatron. "You've got your new allies. We've got ours."
Prime's optics narrowed further. "What?"
"What kind of creature would team up with you blokes?" exclaimed Ron.
Megatron smirked at Ron. Hit with a sudden wave of fear, Ron took a step back. "That young fleshling, is tomorrow's surprise."
Soundwave stepped up to his leader and said, "Message received. Motormaster and his team have completed preparations."
"Excellent," said Megatron. He turned to Optimus and said, "As I've made my intentions clear, it is time for us to leave. I will see you tomorrow, Prime!" With those last words the three Decepticons transformed into their jet modes and took off into the air.
All Autobots and Order members instantly relaxed. "My God, it was like being back in the old war again," muttered Charlie. "And here I thought those days were over."
"I'm bringing every available Auror and Hit Wizard with us tomorrow," declared Kingsley. "We are not going to let them encroach upon us any further!"
"But how are we going to fight?" asked Neville. "Reductors aren't going to be enough to take back Hogwarts and you heard what he said: they've got allies. We can't just rely on the Autobots."
"Well if you would use that miniscule organ in your head called a brain, Longbottom, you would realize that Prime mentioned that magic has already killed one of them!" snapped a familiar voice. Neville instantly froze up in fear while the other Order members looked toward the enlarged Chocolate Frog card in surprise. Dumbledore had moved to the card's background while in the forefront stood none other than Severus Snape.
"Severus? Is that you?" asked McGonagall.
"Isn't it obvious, Minerva?" drawled Snape.
"Do not mind his tone, Minerva," said Dumbledore. "He's just been rather sour after his original portrait was destroyed."
"It's no different from the way he was back when he was alive," McGonagall said dryly.
"Now listen up all of you!" barked Snape. "The spells that I am about to teach will do some true damage to the Cybertronians. Listen carefully, because many of you know how much I hate to repeat myself. Now, SIT DOWN!" Even as a portrait, Snape was employing his usual teaching techniques: bully into learning.
While Snape was lecturing the Order about his spells, Harry took Ron aside and said, "We need to come up with a strategy for tomorrow."
"Strategy?" said Prowl, coming up to them. "That's my expertise."
"You have anything in mind?" asked Harry.
Prowl grinned. "I might have a few ideas."
* * *
Back at Hogwarts the Decepticons were fortifying the grounds. It really didn't concern much aside from reshaping some of the structures surrounding the castle but the presence of the numerous Decepticons was bad enough, especially for the terrified students and faculty hiding within the castle's walls.
Most of the fortifications were being worked on by the Constructicons but other groups were helping out as well. At present time, the Quidditch Pitch was being converted into a make shift throne by a maroon Porsche 987 and a white Lambourgini Diablo. Suddenly, the Lambourgini stopped in its tracks.
"Did you hear that?" said the Larbourgini as he transformed into his robot mode. "I tell ya Dead End, this place has eyes! They're everywhere! Especially in that forest! I'm telling you something's watching us from that forest, Dead End.
"Oh it all doesn't matter anyway, Breakdown," said the Porsche, Dead End as he transformed into his robot mode. "In the end it's all just pointless anyway. We're going to die, they're going to die. We're all going to die out anyway so why bother worrying?"
"They'll never take me alive do ya hear? Never!" declared Breakdown, clearly having not listened to a word Dead End had said.
"Eh, why do I even bother speaking?" muttered Dead End. "No one ever listens anyway."
"What's going on here!" boomed out a hollow, deep voice. Dead End and Breakdown instantly perked up in fear as a black Kenworth T660 Truck drove up to them. "What's this? Resting on the job?"
"No! No! Of course not Motormaster," said Breakdown as he and Dead End immediately went back to their jobs. "Everything is going along fine and dandy."
Motormaster transformed into his black robot mode and glared at Breakdown and Dead End. "Well don't go about skirting off! Our new allies are just dying to find out if Cybertronian Sparks taste as good as fleshling souls. We wouldn't them to have an early snack now do we?"
"I'd like to feed your Spark to them," muttered Dead End. Breakdown quickly nodded in agreement.
"What was that?" snapped Motormaster.
"Nothing!" said Dead End and Breakdown at the same time.
Motormaster was about to say more when two cars sped past him, a black Enzo Ferrari and a yellow Tyrell 026 Formula One Race Car. "Ha! Like you could ever beat me, Wildrider!" snapped the F-1 Race Car.
"Ehhehehehe!!!! Speed! More speed!" cackled the Ferrari, Wildrider. Suddenly, both cars had their front ends smashed into the ground by Motormaster.
"What's this, Drag Strip?" snarled Motormaster. "Racing on the job?"
"O-of course not Motormaster," stuttered the F-1 Race Car Drag Strip as he and Wildrider transformed into their robot modes. "W-we're just testing our engines to see if they're ready for the A-Autobots tomorrow. W-we're going to WIN of course!"
Motormaster simply glared at Drag Strip and Wildrider. "Maybe ya'd like to get a kiss from our new allies?" he snarled.
"We're getting back on the job!" shouted Drag Strip as he and Wildrider transformed back into their vehicle modes and drove away.
Around different spots of the grounds of Hogwarts, shadowy figures glided about, hissing, rasping, leaving a trail of frozen death as they covered the grounds.
A/N Whew! Got that chapter out of the way. This fic is getting kind of more difficult to right as the climax draws nearer and nearer. Well, I know people are anticipating it yet but there's still going to be a few more chapters before the big ones. Stand by because I'm going to give you guys quite a ride. And once again, Merry Christmas!