Chapter 37

"Welcome to Othala, King Harry."

"It's an honour and a pleasure to be back." Harry smiled and bowed before extending his hand.

There was a slight smile on Thor's face as he reached out his thin hand and shook it. King Harry always returned the Asgardian greeting first before offering one of the human greetings.

"We have requisitioned a large scientific compound in a remote area of the planet." Thor explained. "It was designed for weapons testing. As Asgard weapons are energy based we believed it would be the most useful to monitor your spells, you do seem to 'fire' them from your wands."

"Sounds great. And again, my thanks to you and your people for helping me with this."

Thor waved the thanks off as he led them away. "Your people have reduced the threat of the replicators to a nuisance. Now you are giving us the opportunity to study the amazing power you use.

"Which reminds me. Have you noticed any difference since you arrived?"

Harry nodded. "I feel weaker. Less energetic. You might want to send some scientists back with me to monitor what happens when I step back on Earth."

"I shall make arrangements myself." Thor agreed.

"Supreme Commander Thor-"

"Please, call me Thor." He offered the girl as they walked.

"Thank you, I am Hermione." She curtsied in her school uniform. "I was wondering if at some point you could arrange for a ship to transport Harry from Earth to Othala and back again. That way we could measure the effect of him gradually approaching and leaving Earth."

Thor stopped and smiled at her. "Some day your people will be as old and experienced as mine. Hopefully you will have made less mistakes than we have, but you will come across a civilisation that was once as young as you are now. I hope you will take joy in the freshness of their minds as we do yours.

"My personal ship will be at your disposal, Hermione. We have plenty to spare as your people have already helped relieve the stress on our planet and galaxy caused by the replicators."

Harry smiled and patted the blushing Hermione on the shoulder. "Speaking of creepy bugs, what did you all come up with to deal with them?"

"It was quite ingenious." Thor answered. "One of your people saw that the Replicators were held together by energy. This energy also gave them the power to move and essentially 'live'. They managed to create what they called 'wave cancellation'. We have since modified our weapons to emit the required energy wave."

"So you are still hunting?" Harry asked.

"Yes. But your people were also able to come up with the idea to 'imbue' our ships with the same energy. Working together we now have automated defence ships patrolling the galaxy. In the event that the Replicators defeat the ship, they will essentially be consuming poisoned food."

"Gem, make sure to get the names of all those involved. This deserves recognition. Thor, I'd like to offer the same award or recognition to the members of your people who were involved as well."

"We would be honoured." Thor inclined his head. "At the moment the teams seemed to have plateaued in their research. At Lord Terrence's suggestion we they have set the issue aside to focus on the Asgard cloning problem. He called it a mental change of pace."

"Terry's good at that." Harry nodded. "He's not really an inventor or super smart brain like that one." He jabbed his thumb at an indignant Hermione. "But he is excellent at helping people reach beyond their potential. Half of the innovations that came from his little club only did so because he recognised when individuals needed a break or who to point the towards if they had hit a block.

"Hmm… Gem, make a note for me to ask Severus if he can research making Polyjuice potion permanent. Send a suggestion to Terry to examine the DNA of a person under the effects of the standard potion.

"Nym, would you be amenable to some scientific examinations? For the benefit of aiding the survival of the Asgard."

"You aren't gonna cut me up… right?" She asked nervously.

"Nah, just test your DNA in various states and see if it would have any transferable effects and the like. I'm not interested in you being the cure, but I do think you might have some hints in you about where to find a cure."

"I trust you Harry." She said, steeling herself.

"We have purely non-invasive techniques for examining the biological blue-prints of living beings… as well as non-living." Thor assured her. "I believe you might find the experience enlightening, you may learn a lot about your body."

"Have you examined them for the source of their energy?"

Everyone turned to look at the American Air Force Captain. Most were glaring at her. Harry looked amused.

"They have not asked and there has been no need. Do you believe the energy of magic itself could help our cloning issues?" Thor asked curiously.

Carter was a bit side-swiped by that answer. "I assumed that, as you are clearly more technologically advanced, you would be able help them understand the true source of their abilities."

Harry put his knuckles gently in front of his mouth to obscure his grin.

Jack had to restrain himself from dressing down the Captain there and then.

"The Magical beings of Earth, particularly the Islands of Britain, are fully aware of their power. They have spent thousands of years studying it. I'm sure that at some point, our currently mixed team of scientists would have used our technology out of mere curiosity. But, I doubt it would reveal more than they already knew."

"Meh, she can ask the scientists later herself if she is that curious." Harry interrupted before Carter or Thor could continue. "Let's go stick me under a microscope!"

As the group moved on, Jack grabbed Carter viciously by the shoulder and yanked her to the back. "You just came a hair's breadth from an inter-galactic incident, Captain." He hissed at her. "You practically accused the Asgard of 'probing' citizens of Earth without their knowledge… the Asgard, who are the basis for the Roswell incident and the whole damned UFO conspiracy."

Carter gulped. She was a scientist and soldier. Not a diplomat. "Sh- Should I apologise?"

"To Harry, yes." Daphne said as she stepped up having dropped back to join them. "But don't mention it to the Asgard. They already consider most of humanity to be just out of the stone age."

"The President is not going to be pleased when he reads my report." Jack growled at Carter. "You were recommended by the President himself, part of the reason for that was you displayed an abhorrence towards the way the US treated magicals. What's he going to think when he hears you are insulting them and their allies?

"You'll be lucky if you get assigned to maintenance duty on an airbase!"

"Oh, I doubt Harry will let her leave like that." Daphne smirked. "He finds her to be absolutely hilarious. He'll probably ask the President to let her stay for that reason alone."

Carter was clearly offended by that. She managed to keep her mouth closed though.


Harry was put through a battery of tests that left him exhausted. Hermione also underwent the same tests to provide a comparison. She didn't have anywhere near Harry's power and Thor had been quite upset with his scientists when he returned in the evening to find Hermione had collapsed from exhaustion.

He lectured everyone from Heimdell to Harry about lab safety. It was the most animated they had ever seen him.

The group was practically thrown through the portal and told not to return for at least a week so they could recover. Thor was practically steaming and never noticed that Heimdall had gone with them.

It was a credit to the personnel at Azkaban that they took the presence of the unannounced alien in stride. Admiral Roth insisted on a brief interview for security's sake but after that, Heimdall was placed in Jack's care and escorted to Hogwarts where he wanted to assist with Harry and Hermione's recovery as he felt responsible.

It was two days later that his absence from Othalla was noticed and Thor turned up in his ship. The Supreme Commander was not happy with his colleague.

Eventually it all calmed down. Thor availed Harry and Hermione of his ship and they were able to discover that, whilst the boost he received from Terra was greatly diminished when he was not in physical contact with her, there was enough of a connection that meant Harry could cast for a long time in battle or a sustained spell and not wear himself out.

Whilst Harry was being put through the ringer, Tonks was also being tested. Her tests were a lot less tiring as all she had to do was sit in a fancy chair.

Harry and Tonks had insisted that Captain Carter be present for the exams. They loved it when she got all flustered because the super-advanced alien race was discussing magic so casually.


"Your Majesty-"

"Oh god."

"I request a formal meeting."

"Ganos, why by Moros' saggy balls would you need a formal meeting? Or use my titles?" Harry asked tiredly.

"Because you appointed me as the liaison between this world and that of the Ascended." She was glaring at him. That was bad. She hadn't done that since the Americans had kidnapped them.

"Hey! No one said you had to accept." Harry said defensively.

"No, you didn't say I had to accept it. The Ascended practically came begging." She said in disgust.

"Begging?"

"Well, first they tried demanding and commanding." She admitted. "But when they realised their bluff was failing, they switched to begging and pleading."

"Huh, who'd a thunk it." Harry mused. "So, what do the little glow worms want?"

Ganos glared at him. "Considering they asked to open negotiations and dialog with you, perhaps you can show a modicum of respect?"

"I'll let you know after I hear the subject they want to discuss and what the person they send is like."

"I believe they are looking for a better relationship with you and your people." She smirked. "They are a tad terrified that you have the ability to hurt and kill them."

Harry twisted his mouth in thought. "Whilst I am relieved to hear they are showing us at least some respect, why would they want to interact with us? Why not just stick to their world and we stick to ours?"

Ganos fought a mighty battle at that point. She tried her utmost to repress her smirk but it was all for naught. "Apparently Moros and I aren't the only ones to want to be able to return to the physical world."

"Lovely." Harry drawled. "Meta-physical tourism."


It was days later that Harry received a call from Azkaban that he had been dreading. Apophis' absence had been noticed and another goa'uld was trying to claim his territories.

The planet they had liberated Hermione and the others from was being attacked by six large pyramid shaped ships that Jack confirmed were the same as the one Ra used.

The problem was that the ships weren't landing and only three people could fly Harry's creations with any skill. Those were Dudley, Jack and himself.

Even Jack couldn't match Harry in them.

"Remind me to get a hold of one of those Harrier Jump Jets." Harry calmly called over his shoulder to Dudley who was manning one of the new weapon stations.

"Those things suck compared to this." Dudley retorted, his eyes never leaving the screen as he fired the heavy duty gattling gun at the smaller flyers.

"But I'm the only one who can fly this thing. I don't have time to start teaching. If I get a couple of Harriers we can give them to Terry and he can have a team look at them."

"If we somehow pull this off, you might want to look at the remains of those smaller ships." Jack suggested. He was a bit tenser than the other two. He was rotating through the various weapons available and trying to find something that would penetrate the shield around the pyramid ships.

"What do you mean if?" Harry turned and demanded indignantly.

"Eyes on the road!" Fiona snapped.

"What road?"

"Eyes!"

"Damned pushy, red headed, Scottish women." The reigning monarch grumbled.

"Harry, we think we have a solution here." Gemma called over.

"Hey Fi, take over." Harry stood up and left the controls as his cousin's girlfriend screamed at him as she tried to fly something she had only ever tried once.

She was ignored by all but Dudley and Jack who tried to encourage her.

It didn't really matter, the ship was impervious to whatever the enemy threw at it, just as the large pyramid ships were immune to Harry's marvel.

The smaller ships, however, were easy pickings as they seemed to have no shield.

"What have you got for me ladies?" Harry asked his girls as he jogged to the table they had set up nearby. Hermione was with them and they were surrounded by paper.

"Two options." Gemma informed him. "Hermione and Luna both came up with what we believe to be viable options."

"Hi Harry!" Luna chirped over the communications screen.

"Hey Luna. What's the plans?"

"Hermione has suggested heading to the planet or Earth and programming the portals to send us past the ship's shields."

Harry let out a low whistle. "Ambitious. The portals won't let us through if we were going to appear embedded in the ship, but we would still need to get the coordinates and timing down if they move."

"Luna's plan involves shooting Durry at the ships and getting him to slip between phases to bypass the shields."

It began with a slow, evil smile. It grew into maniacal laughter. It ended when Daphne shut him up with a deep kiss.

"I wish I could do that." Dudley sighed, still not looking up from his firing.

"You want to kiss your cousin?" Jack asked curiously.

"What?" Dudley quickly glanced away. "No! Ew! I meant I wish I could shut him up when he goes off like that."

There was a moment's silence.

"Stop laughing Fi." Dudley grumbled as he could see her shoulders shaking.

"I give up!" Jack exclaimed suddenly. "I've got nothing here that will get through their shields." He hit a button to the side. "Carter, get up here." He ordered over the internal comms.

"That bad?" Dudley asked casually from his station.

"Nothing is getting through. The only useful thing I've done is show where the shields start."

"Sir?" The requested Captain reported to her superior.

"Carter, take a seat." The Colonel ordered as he relinquished his to her. "Sir Dudley is handling the gliders. Our mission is to make a dent on the motherships. The pyramid knock-offs. Nothing I've done has done anything but light up their shields. I need you to consider, for just a few moments, that nothing is impossible, simply improbable.

"Now, use that brain that caught the attention of the President, and make something work."

Carter had a look of distaste, but remained professional. "Yes sir."

"Gliders?" Dudley asked with a smirk as Jack relieved Fiona from the pilot's seat. "Motherships?"

"What would you call them?" Jack countered.

"Targets."


"Alright people, buckle up!" Harry instructed over the internal comms as he relieved Jack from the pilot's seat. "We are about to do something that will see Aurora after my hide."

"Just throw Jack at her." Dudley said absently, focused more on the gliders that were now being more cautious about approaching.

Everyone was ribbing the American soldier about his relationship with the English Astronomy Professor. Usually it involved comments about 'stars in your eyes'.

"What's the insanity?" Jack asked calmly as he left Carter and moved to stand next to Harry.

"You know how Luna's dog can move between phases? I put the same thing on the ship. It was going to be my gift to Luna so she could visit what she'd been seeing all these years.

"I wanted her to be the first to use it so it hasn't been tested."

"Have you actually tested this thing yet?" Jack asked worriedly.

"Of course! You've seen Durry use it plenty of times."

"I meant on this ship."

"One second-" Harry tapped a few runes and the ship actually lurched. The ship barely vibrated when the pyramid ships hit it. Outside the windows the world was a lot more different. There were no stars just an endless murky grey of swirling mist.

Then the ship lurched again and they were treated to an up close view of one of the pyramid ships.

"Yes. Yes I have tested the ship." Harry grinned.

"You are a menace to common sense." Jack scowled. "Are we boarding?"

"We are." Harry confirmed as he flew into the large opening on one of the sides of the ship where the gliders were coming from. "Just want to have a bit o' fun first."

Jack grabbed the side of the station as Harry began flying his ship through the gliders. There was no impact felt, but it was still an instinct he couldn't put aside.

"Go and set up the portal, Jack." Harry commanded.

"Try not to cause a hull breach." Jack retorted as he left.

"What does he think I am? An amateur?"

"No one pays you to do this, Harry." Fiona reminded him from the station next to him.

"Sure they do. It's called taxes."

"Bu-"

"Let it go Fi." Dudley sighed. "Harry's in his loopy mood. Even Luna would get tired of arguing in circles with him."

"Aww, come on Dud!" Harry whined. "It's no fun if people don't play along."


Harry landed the ship with the airlock aimed straight down one of the hallways. "Is that real gold?" He asked as he checked the view on the monitor.

"These goa'uld are worse than pure blood wizards, Harry." Gemma answered. "Teal'c said they were all about wealth and power."

"Huh." Harry tapped away at his console in slight amusement.

"He is not going to tell us?" Fleur sighed.

"Let him have his fun." Pansy shrugged.

"Harry, Admiral Roth managed to contact Mister Teal'c." Tracey called from where she was monitoring communications. "He says we are facing the goa'uld Heru'ur.

"Apparently he is a rival of Apophis."

"Harry! One of the pyramid ships just exploded!" Fiona reported urgently. "There's a big creature, several… are those… dragons?"

Everyone turned and glared at the grinning idiot. "You think I didn't expand on Durry, Hansel and Gretel?"

"Those are magical constructs?" Hermione asked with awe. "But they're massive! It would take all of Hogwarts to enchant one!"

"Or Terra."

"Oh."

Harry continued to smile at what he considered one of his oldest friends. "Yes, oh."

"Harry, if you have the dragons, why are we sending men onto this ship?" Tracey asked curiously.

"Intelligence gathering. I want a few prisoners and at least one working ship. Hopefully the dragons won't destroy all the ships and we can strip one for research."

Further discussion was halted when Jack came in grumpily, he was equipped with his weapons and pack. "You have got to talk to your snake and bird."

"Blinky? What's he doing up here?"

"Blinky, Ember, Hedwig and I'm sure I heard barking." Jack retorted. "That owl… I saw her get hit by a staff blast and keep going!"

Harry's breath became laboured and he turned pale.

"Harry?!" The girls were instantly attending him.

"Kid, you alright?" Jack asked as he pushed between them and started checking Harry's vitals.

Harry just gave a shakey smile. "I'm fine." He said slightly hoarse. "Just… I hadn't tested Hedwig's foot collar fully yet." A tear rolled down his cheek and his friends began to worry.

"Hedwig died in Harry's first time through." Dudley spoke up from behind Jack quietly. "She intercepted a killing curse aimed at him."

Harry was immediately smothered in hugs.

"Colonel O'Neill, considering the various assets in play at the moment, do you think His Majesty would be relatively safe if he entered the battlefield from the rear and under escort?" Dudley asked formally.

"As long as he wears that armour."


The 'armour' was a set of full body 'plates' made out of a composite of Kevlar and Acromantula Silk. They were enchanted with Hermione's special portal protection and also had a few other 'features'.

Harry wasn't actually aware of them.

"Harry… how?" Fiona was at a loss.

The group was standing in a corridor on the pyramid ship. The walls were metal grey with faint gold streaks. The floor was like a frozen river of gold.

Every now and again there was an Jaffa warrior trapped up to their ankles in the 'river'.

"The most basic runes are elemental ones." Harry grinned smugly as he casually tossed stunners at the struggling jaffa. "It wasn't hard to give the dragons the ability to breathe fire and ice."

"But you didn't send any dragons to this ship."

"Yes, but a certain little brat decided to crash the party." Harry said in exasperation. "She brought all her friends too."

"Huh?"

"Ember."

"Oh."


The trek through the ship had been long, arduous and painful. The soldiers went first to deal with the jaffa, but the floor was so warped that nearly everyone slipped at some point.

David and Nym had been fairly embarrassed when the soldier had to carry her most of the way.

"Oh bugger." Harry said irritably as he reached the bridge of the ship, called the 'Peltak' by the goa'uld. "The git must be on one of the other ships."

He was referring to Heru'ur of course.

"He'll probably get rounded up with everyone else then." Dudley mused. Then he noticed Harry's grimace. "What did you do?"

"I may have instructed the constructs to blow all but two of the ships."


Harry managed to catch a break when Hemi reported that the goblins had managed to locate the goa'uld on the other ship that he and his men had led the charge on.

Admiral Roth had requested that Teal'c be offered a position at Azkaban as an advisor. Harry had questioned the older man as to why he was bothering to make a request for something so trivial.

Fortunately, both Admiral Roth and Colonel O'Neill were used to Harry's eccentricities.

Teal'c's first mission was to aid the Admiral's men and the goblins in seizing control of Heru'ur's systems. It would be a long and bloody process.


Harry had managed to disappear. This was strange as he usually let the girls know where he was, but even Ember wouldn't take anyone to him.

After twenty-four hours the girls went around Ember's back to Fawkes.

Albus landed in what appeared to be a glass room… underwater. It took him a moment to realise it was one of the viewing rooms at the base of the City of Atlantis.

Slouched in a recliner in the middle of the thirty-foot round, bowl like room was Harry. Bottles of various drinks on a table at his side.

He was also sleeping.

Albus sighed, he pulled a vial from his robes and awoke the sleeping king. "Drink this Harry. We need to talk."

"Albie?" Harry bleared at the man groggily.

"Drink up, now."

Harry snorted and shuffled himself into a more upright position. "I'm not drunk Albus."

"Your décor would suggest otherwise." Albus said dryly before conjuring a chair for himself.

"These are fizzy drinks, Albus. Not alcohol." Harry scoffed. He picked up can of ginger beer and handed it over. He then snatched it back and popped the top before the old wiggle made a mess.

Albus took a sniff and then a sip.

Then he began to choke and cough.

Harry laughed and handed him a glass of conjured water.

"Oh my!" Albus wheezed. "That is… quite the experience!"

Harry just smiled and slouched back in his chair.

After a few moments silence, mainly for Albus to ensure he would start coughing again, he broached his reason for coming. "Harry, the girls are worried."

"They shouldn't be." Harry said, there was a hint of melancholy. "Ember would have done something if I was in trouble."

"Ember, amazing as she is, cannot communicate as well with humans as you can." Albus chided gently. "Now, why are you here drowning your sorrows in… 'muggle fire-whiskey'?"

Harry gave a sad sigh. "You ever hear the name 'Teddy Lupin'?"

Albus frowned in thought. "The only Lupins I knew where Remus and his parents. No Teddy. Was it short for Edward?"

"I- I don't remember." Harry sounded ashamed.

Albus was a little worried. "Harry, are you losing your memories of your first life?"

"No. I just can't remember if Teddy was his official name."

"Well, I assume, based on the name, that he was a relation of Remus'. His son, perhaps?"

Harry nodded. "Born just months before I was thrown back in time. Months before his parents died in the final battle."

"But Remus still lives." Albus pointed out. "And, we have a few years before the timelines properly sync. More than enough time for Remus to find the mother of his son."

"Won't happen." Harry shook his head. "His mother has no interest in Remus. My godson will never be born. Nymphadora Tonks has started dating David Macdonald."

"Ah." Albus now understood. "You only found out today?"

"Yesterday, whilst we were taking down the snake."

"And you are now mourning the loss of someone who will never be born."

"I never even met the kid." Harry grumbled, he sat up and leaned forward in his chair, resting his forearms on his knees. "All those memories that we showed the country at my coronation… they were heavily censored."

"I should hope so." Albus scoffed. "The people certainly didn't need to see you in various broom cupboards."

"Albie, in all of my existence, I am a virgin."

"Oh. Sorry?" Albus blushed.

Harry chuckled.

"Then what was censored?" Albus asked eventually.

"People's personal lives. Who was in a relationship with whom. Who had kids. Who became a Death Eater."

Albus frowned in disapprovement. "That is a heavy burden to bear, Harry. Do the girls at least know the truth?"

"The girls, Dudley, Nev, Greg, Vin and a few of the others. They know what they ask about. I don't offer information."

They sat in silence for a few minutes, just watching the massive sea creatures swim by.

"Do you intend to sit here much longer?" Albus eventually asked.

"Just until you explain your current state of being." Harry gave him a very pointed and amused look.

Albus looked like a child being told he can't have the last cookie. "Apparently I died last night." He said grumpily. "It was very peaceful. I had no idea it had happened."

"Aaaand…?"

"Hurrumph! A certain lady of our mutual acquaintance has decided I owe you a good few years more of service."

Harry just grinned widely as Albus Dumbledore pouted.

"It is not funny!" Albus objected to his young friend's mirth. "I'm over a hundred! I've fought two dark lords. I've led this country for more than half my life! I believe I've earned my rest!"

"Listen here young man!" Albus flinched as Ganos appeared in front of them. "Harry has dealt with at least three 'dark lords'." She said with air-quotes. She would kill Jack later for putting the action in her repertoire. "You were very nearly one of them! You guided this country. Harry is defending the whole planet!"

"Ganos, you've just consigned him to an eternity of, shall we say; 'community service'?" Harry was enjoying this far too much. "You might want to space things out so you don't run out of steam."

"Hurrumph! Give me that." She snapped at Albus as she snatched his wand and conjured a chair for herself. She flopped into it and tossed the wand back to Albus.

"I don't see why you don't get your own wand." Albus muttered as he surreptitiously polished his.

"As an ascended we don't have innate magic." She explained. "I can only use magic when on Earth and in physical form."

"Erm… Ganos, we're not on Earth." Harry pointed out.

Ganos frowned and began looking around. "Well I never! I will have to bring Moros here to investigate further."

"YOU!" Albus and Harry jumped as the aforementioned Moros appeared in front of them. "You have gone too far Ganos!"

"Really?" Harry asked Ganos as he laughed. "Do you intend to forcibly ascend the entire planet?"

"She's no better than a cold blooded murderer!" Moros pointed at her accusingly. "She came into my room last night and stabbed me in my sleep!"

"Ganos!" Harry said, aghast. "How could you? The house-elves will be expecting that sort of mess every morning now!"

"I've always fantasized about committing regicide." She mused.

"You'd never make it." Albus said dismissively. "You'd have to get past Hedwig, Ember, Blinky, the girls, the Knights, Hogwarts herself and Terra."

"How far did you get?" Moros asked as he grabbed Albus' wand and conjured a chair.

Albus was struggling between embarrassment over realising what he had implied and outrage over his wand being nicked again.

"He couldn't get passed Hedwig." Harry smirked. "The girls found him curled up in a ball in my bedroom under an onslaught of pecks."

"I was doing Lieutenant Macdonald a favour." Albus huffed indignantly. "He asked me to test the defences around your quarters."

"You should consider yourself lucky." Harry said. "If you had managed to sneak in on the girls when they were dressing… well, death would not be on the cards. You should have heard the plans they made for the Ascended who decided to gate crash their nude sunbathing session." He chuckled.

"Answer me one question-"

"Albus, you've got eternity ahead of you." Harry mock chided. "Do you honestly think that whatever question you ask will keep you satisfied that long?"

"Just answer my question, Harry." Albus sighed. "How did you know I had ascended?"

"Pfft, I've been able to ascend for months now. Eventually you will learn to tell who is ascended and who is not."

"You died?!"

"What? No. I just learnt how to cross been the plains of existence."

Ganos let out a long suffering sigh. "Harry, must you break every rule of existence?"

The End... for now.


A/N:

This story falls into the same category as The Champion and Death's Little Brother, I want to come back and write some more. At the moment though it is finished. I do have plenty of ideas though.

I am about to post another 'short story'. 'Short' means it is only one chapter. It's about 28k words though. It's called 'The Debt' and it is about Harry's fifth year.