Disclaimer: Blah, blah, blah, I don't own any of it.
This story is a crossover between Stargate Atlantis and Harry Potter.
Warnings: This story contains slash, impertinence in the face of authority and Marge Dursley. If any of those offend you, don't read on.
Thanks to Phoenix Catcher for his assistance. Check out his stories. I especially recommend Cast Between Worlds.
Please review!
Of Misery and Mystery
Chapter One
Lt. Colonel John Sheppard knew with an undeniable certainty that he was about to die. The wraith knelt, smiling calmly down at him. He had no strength left with which to resist and they both knew it. Her dark hair brushed his cheek as she lowered her face towards his. For one terrible moment he feared she might kiss him. Instead, she ripped his shirt open and lightly caressed his chest.
"You are a very lovely color," she murmured tenderly, her nails lightly scraping against his skin.
She leaned down towards him, allowing her breasts to brush his arm. He recoiled. Her smile remained and she appeared determined to be unaffected by his disgust. One hand remained splayed on his chest and the other moved to stroke his cheek. The hand on his cheek moved to card through his hair. She sneered at his whimper, which could not conceivable be confused for pleasure.
"Pledge yourself to me. I will keep you in a comfortable style, eternally youthful and I will require very little of you that is not pleasurable," she whispered, her lips brushing the lobe of his ear.
"No."
"The last human I took to my bed lost consciousness from the pleasure I gave him," she continued.
"Death sounds infinitely more enjoyable."
She let out a shriek of rage and raised her hand to impale him. Sheppard felt a very sharp pain in his head. His vision blurred and he saw the wraith woman fly across the room and slam into the wall. Unbidden, he felt himself stand and slowly his vision cleared. Instead of fleeing, finding his team, and returning to Atlantis as quickly as possible he found himself moving to stand over her. She looked frightened and he wondered why.
"Who… what…Who are you? How have you done this?"
He heard his own voice reply and felt a panic to realize his lips were moving of their own accord, "I am beyond your comprehension."
She visibly flinched and took another step back, pressing herself against the wall. Her eyes accessed him wildly.
"Why is this human so valuable to you?"
"You would do well to heed my warning. Never touch this man again. He is not for you."
She stood slowly, "Who are you to demand such-"
He interjected impatiently, "I will offer you a trade for this human and his three companions. Do you have the authority -?"
"Yes!" she snapped, "What trade will you offer?"
"You remember those that harbor the souls of others? They have been gone from this place for sometime."
She smiled with a pleasure that made Sheppard shiver. Only he didn't. He felt a terror that surpassed when he had been sure she would kill him. He had no control over his own body. He felt a wave of calm spread through him, but it only served to make his thoughts more panicked. There was another presence in his mind.
"You know where they can be found? Tell me the location and I will give you the four humans," she enticed.
He chuckled mirthlessly, "No. I will give you one."
"Four," she countered.
"No," he said firmly, "One. Or I try my luck at simply taking this man and his companions from you. I might succeed, I might not, but in my attempt your losses will be staggering."
Her upper lip curled in distaste, but she did not challenge him again, "Agreed."
He smiled, and inclined his head. He held up his left hand, lowering his head in concentration. She kept her distance, but watched him closely. She was a bit wary, but it was overwhelmed by her excitement. Not long later, a cloaked form began to take shape between the two. Her smile was positively gleeful. The moment it was fully formed she sunk her hand into it, tilted her head back, and let out an obscene moan of pleasure.
John Sheppard struggled violently within his own mind, but he remained little more than a passenger in his own body. Her actions frightened him and he tried desperately to turn away. He felt a flash of irritation from the other in his mind before he found himself trapped in an empty white room with no visible exits. He pounded on the wall angrily.
"HEY!?"
A hand tapped his shoulder. John whirled around, bringing his fists up. The young man before him looked neither impressed nor amused. Mostly he was exhausted, judging by the dark circles under his bright green eyes. He batted John's fists away as though they were merely irritating him.
"Stop fighting me," he spoke hoarsely in a decidedly British accent, "You're making this rather difficult."
"What did you do to me? Where am I?"
"I've pushed you into a crevice of your mind. If you don't stop fighting me you will destroy yourself," he remarked as though they might be discussing the weather.
John forced himself to relax. As he did, the young man let out a soft sigh of relief.
"Who are you? What are you doing?"
He winced, "Lower your voice, if you please."
"What's going on?"
He kept his eyes glued to the floor, "I'm making a deal with her to release you and your companions. I have a vested interest in your health, John."
"So you can continue to control my body?" he accused.
The young man's head jerked up in surprise and offense. Their eyes met for a brief moment before his eyes returned to the ground. He spoke evenly, but his tension was obvious.
"I have done nothing but aid you. Your accusation is unwarranted."
"Who are you?" John demanded.
He shook his head, "I can't risk you coming to look for me."
"What's going on out there?" he asked hopefully.
The young man grimaced, "She is feeding off the dementor. Count yourself lucky not to witness it."
"What's a dementor?"
The young man shook his head.
"Hey, how are you talking to me here and paying attention to the wraith?"
"Bloody hell, you ask a lot of questions," he grumbled, more weary and tired than angry.
John shrugged, "If you answer my next question I won't ask another one."
Green eyes met his darker ones warily, "What is the question?"
"What's your name?"
He sighed, "Harry."
"Harry…"
Harry spoke before John could, "You're done fighting me?"
John nodded.
"Close your eyes and count to ten."
John obeyed and silently counted to ten. When he opened his eyes, he could see the strange creature, the dementor, hovering in the corner. The wraith woman looked satisfied. John ignored the conversation between Harry and the wraith in favor of studying the dementor, trying to figure out what it was.
His body moved so that he was no longer able to see the dementor out of his peripheral vision and he felt Harry's irritation. The wraith reunited him with the rest of his team and they were returned to the gate. His team was unconscious, but they were all unharmed. John felt a gentle nudge in his mind and realized that Harry had returned control of his body, but was still in his mind, watching. He heard a gentle voice whisper in his mind.
Just until you get back to Atlantis. I'll take my leave then.
It took him a few minutes, but he managed to send them all through the gate. He paused, remembering what Harry said about leaving once he returned to Atlantis.
"Harry?" he spoke aloud.
He could feel Harry's amusement. Aye?
"Thank you," he said sincerely, "I don't understand any of this, but thank you."
You will. Not yet, but when I am able. I give you my word.
"I'll hold you to that. When will I see you again?"
I will come should you ev-
John waited a moment for Harry to finish. He felt his presence, but it was beginning to dim. John felt a spike of panic that he was able to identify as coming from Harry.
"Harry? Harry??"
He felt another wave of panic that was not his own and heard voices that had no source.
"By the authority of the Office of the Minister I command you to stand down!"
"You have no jurisdiction here. I will not let you pass!"
"I have a warrant!"
"This is illegal! Don't touch him! NO! Don't touch him!"
Go through the gate, John!
"What's going on? I heard-"
GO!
John took a step towards the event horizon. He paused when he came through on the other side, searching his mind for Harry's presence. He was gone. John felt an odd loneliness, tinged with concern on how they had parted. He felt light headed. John noticed Dr. Elizabeth Weir approaching him. He tried to concentrate on what she said to him, but a deep exhaustion like nothing he had ever felt set in. He closed his eyes and the ground rushed up to meet him. And he dreamed. He dreamed of a little boy in oversized clothes and a young man riding a unicorn through a dark forest. They both had bright green eyes.
He woke slowly and instantly regretted it. There was a strange ache lingering in his body that he could not account for. He tried to sit up, but the pain turned fire hot and he cried out. He lay still, but the pain did not ebb very quickly. It was a struggle to breath evenly and the lights and the sounds around him made everything worse. He felt a gentle prick in his arm through all the pain and everything began to fade away. Again, he dreamed.
John Sheppard chuckled. Beside him in the car, his niece ignored him and continued to sing. He liked to tease her, but it didn't really bother him. She wasn't amazing, but she was far from tone deaf. The song ended, and she stuck her hand out the passenger window, enjoying the breeze.
"What do you want for dinner?"
She smiled, "Italian?"
He nodded, "I know a place."
The car rolled to a stop at a red light. He waited patiently for the light to turn green. John blinked.
He was laying on the sidewalk in an unimaginable amount of pain. He opened his eyes and turned his head. Behind them, in the middle of the intersection, his car was a mangled mess. A male paramedic caught his attention.
"Can you tell me your name?"
One thing stood out to him through his confusion. He couldn't see his niece. The car was destroyed, he didn't remember anything after stopping at the red light and he couldn't see his niece.
"Ashley!"
"Is your name Ashley?" the paramedic questioned.
"My niece, Ashley, where is she?"
"I don't know anything about her. What's your name?"
"John Sheppard."
"Mr. Sheppard you've been involved in a car accident. We're going to transport you to the hospital. Do you have any medical conditions we need to know about?"
"No. Where's Ashley?"
He paused, "I'll see what I can find out for you."
John felt his eye grow heavy. He wanted to stay awake long enough to find out about his niece and get them in contact with the SGC, but he couldn't. The pain wasn't getting any better and he didn't have the strength to fight the void enveloping him so he embraced it.
He opened his eyes again. Teyla Emmagen was slouched in a chair beside his bed, sleeping. The pain was dull enough that he could move. He carefully drank from the glass of water, but spilled a bit due to his hands shaking. He went to put the glass back, but it wobbled and tipped over. It did not break, but the noise woke Teyla. She looked relieved.
"Colonel Sheppard, how do you feel?"
"Awful," he croaked, "What happened?"
"We were captured by the wraith. That is the last thing any of us remember before we woke up in the infirmary."
He began to shake his head, but stopped his head began to when throb, "The wraith didn't do this to me, Teyla."
"Colonel-"
"The wraith didn't do this to me," he insisted.
She nodded slowly, "Who then?"
He hesitated, "Harry."
She tilted her head, a soft frown beginning, "Who is Harry?"
John?
"Harry?"
You called for me? Are you okay? Harry sounded exhausted.
"Are you okay?" he countered, "You don't sound so good."
Teyla's eyes widened, "Colonel, with whom are you conversing?"
He waved at her impatiently, "Harry, are you okay?"
Yes.
John frowned. He wasn't sure how he knew, but he could feel with certainty that Harry was lying to him. He could tell Teyla was getting concerned, but couldn't bring himself to care terribly.
"You're lying," he accused.
Are you hurt?
"Yes," John admitted, hoping it would encourage Harry to be honest.
Are you safe now?
"I think so, I don't know what happened. I passed out when I returned through the gate."
Do you know the cause?
"No," he murmured.
Describe your pain to me.
"I feel like my muscles are on fire. It hurts to move."
There was a short pause before he heard Harry again. John, I'm sorry. It's because of me, I think. Some of the pain I was feeling passed onto you.
"Only some? Good grief, Harry, what the hell happened to you? Why did I feel it too?"
John, I'm not strong enough to keep this up. I need you to answer me so I can help you. When did the pain begin? Did you lose consciousness? For how long?
"Yes. I've been out a few hours, I think. Harry, where are you?"
Please don't, John. The time is not yet right. Harry sounded weary.
Teyla shook her head, "It has been nearly three days, John."
"Three days!?"
Three days?
"Apparently," John replied, "Are you safe?"
For the love of Merlin!
John winced at the irritation in Harry voice. He couldn't feel the others presence in his mind like before, but the intonation was enough. For the love of Merlin? That was certainly a new one.
How much pain are you in?
"A fair amount," John admitted.
Brace yourself.
That was the only warning Harry offered. He felt a sharp pain in his mind in the same place as when Harry had first appeared in his mind. He let out a soft gasp at the intrusion, but did not entirely dislike the warm, comfortable feeling that followed Harry's intrusion into his mind.
"Colonel?" Teyla inquired.
"I'm…. okay," he croaked.
"I'm going to get Dr. Beckett."
"No!" he cried, "No, please, just wait. Harry, what are you doing? I've been nothing but forthcoming with you. Tell me what's going on."
I'm checking how much I damaged you.
John hesitated at the guilt he sensed from the other, "You feel guilty. You're angry at yourself. Why?"
Keep your curiosity to yourself, John. My mind is not a safe place to wander about. I am not strong enough to protect you from becoming trapped. Now, hush. I am almost finished. He paused. You still dream about the car accident?
"How are you doing this? You saw my dream? Wait, how do you know about that?"
I was there.
"What!?"
Never you mind. He snapped. The damage to your nerves is not permanent, but you will require the intervention of my people for any kind of meaningful recovery. Your people won't know how to help you. The pain will fade, but they won't be able to stop the tremors.
"Are you on Earth?"
Harry ignored the question. Where I am is not relevant. I haven't the strength to come to you.
"Why not?"
Harry continued as through he had not spoken. And you cannot return to Earth.
"So you are on Earth. Wait, why not?
I can send a friend of mine. You must guarantee his safety. You must promise not to attempt to interrogate him. He would not take kindly to it.
"Harry, I-"
What?
"I cannot promise that," John said honestly.
I see.
"I- I don't want to spend the rest of my life like this… but I don't-"
John felt a wave of affection from Harry. You don't want to lie about safe passage if your people will not guarantee it. Don't worry.
"But-"
John, Harry was very firm, talk to your people. If they agree to my terms, call out for me. I will hear you. Time is not your ally. If your people will not agree…if I must, I will come for you myself. I must leave you, for now. Rest well.
"Goodbye," he murmured.
There was a long moment before Teyla spoke, "I'm going to get Dr. Beckett and Dr. Weir."
"Yes," he agreed slowly, "it's probably best if you do."