Easter
Aurora slips and slides her way across the wet grass towards Hagrid's hut. As she nearly goes arse over tea-kettle once more, she curses under her breath, "Why oh why can't I just fly out here?"
A couple of minutes later she takes a step off the grass and onto the mud outside Hagrid's hut, only for her foot to slide out from underneath her, sending her sliding into the slight dip caused by regular traffic.
After her surprised scream, the door to Hagrid's hut opens to reveal a nervous Hagrid, "Professor Sinistra, are you all right?"
Aurora carefully pushes herself to her feet, "It only hurt my pride. I wasn't expecting the grass to be quite this slippery."
Hagrid nods, "Aye, it gets like that sometimes. Your shoes certainly don't help either."
Aurora looks down at them ruefully, "You're right. Though, to be fair I'd have brought my walking staff if I'd realised how bad it was. But it was one of those afternoons where you have a couple of hours free time, and it looked nice out so I figured I'd come and see how you're doing."
Hagrid looks down at his feet, "Ya needn't do that, ah'm just fine."
Aurora carefully draws her wand and uses it to clean herself off, "Hagrid, you've barely left your hut for the last couple of weeks. You've got smoke pouring from your chimney, and your curtains are closed, yet it's more than comfortable out here."
Hagrid mumbles almost as loudly as most men speak softly, "You were always a kind one weren't you." In a more normal tone he says, "No, really, I'm fine. I've, er, just got a project in my hut."
Aurora smiles up at Hagrid, "Oh, anything interesting?"
Hagrid shakes his head, "Not really, 's just a dragons egg." Then he frowns, "I dinna mean to say that."
Aurora sighs, "Hagrid, you're really too good for your own good. Come on, let's see it and you can tell me all about it."
═══════ ೋღ ֍ ღೋ ═══════
Grim faced, Ironjaw walks into the Director's office with a tightly wound scroll, "Director, I have important news from the goblins that left with healer Straightseam."
The Director looks at the scroll, "What's the news? And why did it take them so long to send us a reply?"
Ironjaw takes a deep breath, "I'll answer the second question first. According to this letter, their owls were all killed or captured by the Grineer during the early days of their negotiations. After that, Earth was almost cut off from the rest of the solar system by most of the Tenno flocking to the Zariman Ten-Zero to try and push the Grineer and Corpus out of their birth place."
The Director shakes his head, "What of our own letters?"
Ironjaw looks down at the scroll in his hands, "None of the guards survived longer than a year there. There was a Ghoul outbreak and they died defending the settlement long enough for the civilians to retreat."
"And Healer Straightseam?"
Ironjaw hands over the letter, "It would be better for you to read his own words yourself."
═══════ ೋღ ֍ ღೋ ═══════
Director, care of Ironclaw
My apologies for the delay in sending you an owl, as it appears that my personal missive was never delivered. I will summarise that missive at the end of this letter, but suffice to say that my wife and I had long discussions about our decisions.
The reason it has taken so long for me to get word from the surface is the Grineer interdicted the planet and threatened to destroy the local relay station. A threat that has only just been resolved with a judicious amount of violence.
The Cetus enclave have agreed to allow our people to join their settlement, though they have been told that it would be unwise to attempt to create a colony outside the shields until we have not only established ourselves, but also have the capability to not only hide from the Grineer, but also defend ourselves from them. A sentiment that I am forced to agree with given what I've learnt about this systems ability to detect things from well beyond the reach of our magics.
Currently, our people are sheltering inside the derelict Orokin tower along with the majority of the Cetus population as the ghoul infestation continues to rage uncontrolled beyond the shields. The occasional Tenno that pays a visit for resources or weapons is not enough to deal with the level of infestation across the plains. They have asked me to request a block of platinum 1 foot on a side. With that they believe they will have enough to pay the bounties needed to clear out the infestation and make the village safe to live in once more. If you agree to this, then send the platinum to Ullok son of Furrad as he is now of age.
Enclosed with this letter is a data cylinder with the details of an informal currency that the Tenno use. This currency is based on reputation and allows them to access goods and services that can't be bought for credits or resources. The Lotus and I all agree that this would be the best way for the new clan to trade with the wider solar system. The Sinestra family, as vassels of Clan Potter, have already started to use this system to great effect.
Signed
Healer Straightseam
Personal note.
After three years of deliberation, Urana and I decided to join Clan Potter as Sentients along with our child. Part of this decision comes from a desire to allow for a continuity of contact with Clan Gringott. One of the Lotus' personal owls should be delivering my formal request to the clan chief at the same time this letter reaches you. If my request is accepted, my children will take on the role of advisers and liaisons between the new clan and the Tenno. It is my hope that their involvement will increase both the profits and honour of both the Tenno and the Goblin Nation.
═══════ ೋღ ֍ ღೋ ═══════
The Director looks up from the letter, "I see, and the platinum?"
Ironclaw shrugs, "Already sent out of my families coffers, I will be seeking reimbursement through favours and services rather than goods, as the Potter accounts have been good for us."
The Director laughs, "Of course they have. I'll talk to the clan chiefs about giving you a minority share in the new clan."
Ironclaw shakes his head, "I would much rather be allowed to start my own guild."
The Director coughs violently, "What?"
Ironclaw smiles widely as he nods, "I wish to start the Technicians Guild."
The Director clenches his teeth for a moment, "What of the Potter accounts?"
"I am still a fully paid up member of the Bankers Guild."
"I will bring your request to the Council."
═══════ ೋღ ֍ ღೋ ═══════
Dora glances over at Digger as she sends a message to squad chat
{KarmaChameleon} 😊😍
Digger nods, "Are you ready?"
Dora nods, "I am, do you have your shields up?"
"Of course."
{KarmaChameleon} 😊
Dora adds, "Just checking as Hermione has been stunned, and Harry was forced out of their warframe."
Slightly chidingly Digger points out, "Dora, this isn't my first turn around the sun. I'm more worried about you, as we don't know what will happen if transference is forcibly ended for you. You should be fine though, as Alad V has been kidnapping warframes for study, even before we started to wake from the second dream. That's why I made sure you had a couple more warframes before I even considered allowing you to take any missions here."
"Digger! I am a trained Dax and I have a Mastery in Transfiguration too."
Digger raises a hand, "Dora, I'm not questioning your ability. I'm talking about the chaos of the battlefield. All of us die occasionally, every single one of us. If they manage to hit you with something that knocks you out of your warframe, then you could just be dead."
Digger takes Dora's hand, "Dora, I don't know if you realise the implications of this, but the Zariman was a colony ship, and my family was one of thousands onboard. We... You know we found the Zariman, what you probably don't know is we found out how many people were on board." Dora shakes her head, "There were around 100,000 civilians on board, 25% of them were under 16, and 18% under the age of 11. There were only around 8,000 survivors of the Zariman, and Harry was the only one under the age of 11."
Dora shakes her head, "What are you getting at?"
"I'm getting there Dora. Before the New War there were nearly 4,000 Tenno, now there's only slightly more than 3,000. Everyone else died. Everyone. You, Hermione, and Luna, you're all special because you're the first new Tenno we've ever had, and the first additions to our number for over 100 years. That's why we locked you all out of places we know Alad might be able to capture you. It's why I helped you get Chroma so quickly. Well, that and the fact I like you."
Dora shakes her head and pulls Digger into a hug, "I like you too you big lunk. Now come on, this is a capture mission, except we're not allowed to digitise Fenris Greyback as he needs to stand trial."
Digger affects a lisp, "Yes Misstress, is there anything else Mystriss."
Dora hits Digger on the shoulder before starting to circle around the hideout, "You've been watching far too much Earth media."
═══════ ೋღ ֍ ღೋ ═══════
Harry startles a little as Kitty winds her arm around his as they walk into London Zoo. "Kitty, why are we here again?"
Kitty laughs, "Anne, at work, said it was the sort of thing we're supposed to do on a date. So here we are. One of our customers is a Goth, at least that's what he said he was anyway. Anyway, he said that the best place to find the sort of clothes he was wearing is Camden Market, which is just a short walk away from here."
Harry groans theatrically, "You and your clothes."
Kitty smiles, "They might have some plushies that you've never seen before."
Harry shakes his head with a laugh, "Fair point."
Kitty thumps Harry in the shoulder, before double checking the civilian lock on her amp, "Hey, how are you getting on at school?"
Harry sighs, "Honestly, it's all a bit basic. Don't get me wrong, I'm learning a lot. It's just I don't think they're really set up for teaching someone who has mastered over 300 different hand to hand weapons, and the math is so basic that we don't even teach it at home."
"Harry, I didn't mean your school work. You've been using wisp for a few months now, and I've never known you to stick to one warframe for that long."
Harry leans against a display with some brightly coloured birds in it, "I'm coping. I'm just glad that wisp isn't a prime frame as she's still only able to express feelings. I'm not sure I could handle a Yana."
Kitty shudders, "You don't need to tell me that. I think my Nezha is starting to develop emotions too, and he's a prime."
Harry shakes his head as he goes to push away from the railing, "Let's not think about that for now."
Impishly, Kitty stands on tiptoe and nibbles Harry's ear, "How about we hurry through the zoo then see if we can find a nice dress to put you in."
Harry shivers at the feel of Kitty's hot breath on her ear, "Kitty! That's not fair!"
Kitty just smiles as she leads Harry off to look around the zoo.
═══════ ೋღ ֍ ღೋ ═══════
"Albus!" Minerva slams her palm on his desk for emphasis, "Hagrid has a Merlin damned dragon egg in his hut and all you can say is, 'would you like a lemon drop?'."
Albus looks up at his deputy mildly, "What would you have me do then?"
"Your job as headmaster. Or don't you care about Hagrid or the schools finances?"
"Have you let Kettleburn know that we have a dragon on the school grounds?"
"You know as well as I do that he would be oath bound to report it to the Ministry as soon as he found out about it. As soon as that happens we get hit with a massive fine and Hagrid takes a one way trip to Azkaban for endangering the Statute of Secrecy by raising a 5x creature without a licence. If it officially comes to my attention, or the bloody thing hatches I'll have to do the same thing."
Albus spreads his hands, "I'm sure that it will resolve itself on it's own."
Minerva shakes her head, "Oh no you don't. I know as well as you do that Charlie Weasley is a Dragon Handler. But I will not have you endangering his younger brother because you don't want to do the job yourself."
Albus leans forward, suddenly serious, "Minerva, I really can't be seen to do anything about the dragon egg. I am looking after the stone out of respect for my Master, and we all know that one of Voldemort's followers is trying to steal the stone. At the moment they believe me to be oblivious of their attempts on the stone, and so they're not doing anything to endanger the students. If I act overtly that may change."
Minerva stares at Albus for a long moment, "Fine, then I'll deal with the egg myself, and I'll be changing my own defences too."
"Minerva, you can't..."
"Watch me." With that she whirls around and storms out of the office.