Languages: English, Na'vi
Genre: Hurt/Comfort
2nd Genre: Romance
Character A: Harry J. Potter
Character B: Tsu'tey
Summary: When they went to sleep, they hoped of a better future. But with Gaia insane and Magic as dead as his friends, Harry has no reason to stay. Escape and exist was all he had in mind when he stowed away on a ship to Pandora. Not another war. Slash.
WARNING: Slash, Character Death, AU, OCs, Dark Themes.
One would think that, having as much experience of Murphy's Law as he did, Harry would have been prepared for all eventualities. And, for the most part, he was. And what he wasn't prepared for, well, he usually couldn't even muster the gumption to even sigh blankly at the problem anymore.
It had been six months since he had awoken from his long, long slumber to discover the skeletal, decomposing remains of his friends. Friends who had died at least twenty years before his awakening. The Magic ripped out of their bodies in a messy, painful fashion. And here he was... still on Earth, still getting uninvited Riots in his skull courtesy of the Planet's consciousness. And he was still confused as to how the hell it-she had a consciousness and why it-she was speaking to him now when she had been silent for so long.
She had been silent for the past month, no doubt drawing back and gathering her strength like a tidal wave pulled back the beach before crashing down and flooding an island into nothing.
Harry sighed from his dirty little hovel in the Slums of Advantia, Florida USA – he'd always wanted to see Florida, he heard there were crocodiles. Of course now the ancient reptiles were extinct, environmental changes, lack of food and people actually resorting to hunting and eating the magnificent beasts had destroyed the entire species. Them, and anything else they swum, flew, crawled and ran, to humanity, they could all be on a dinner plate.
A sodden newspaper was thrown carelessly at his feet by a passer by, muttering under his breath in disgust. Harry took a cursory peek before sighing and settling back in his box.
Last of the Swans was dead too now, huh?
This place... It was so similar and yet so different from the Earth he used to know, it was hard for him to understand everything going on around him. He had delved into the History books, looking for information on the Purges but information was contradictory. Some say that it was self defence measures, others that it was a pre-emptive strike, the minority said it was genocide. Funny how that minority were only somewhat right.
When the Muggles rose up, the Purebloods sure as hell tried to slap them back down.
But being outnumbered five thousand to one, they didn't have a hope in hell of winning, or survival. Harry leaned back against the wall behind him and stared up at the sky, what little of it could be seen through poison smog, pipes, netting and buildings taller than even Hogwarts had been. Everyone in History had something to say about the Purges, but very few of them knew what happened or why or any of the little details that meant so much in the long run. For a time, during that first quiet period where the Planet left his thoughts unmolested, he thought about writing down his own version of events, the truth of what happened from a Wizard's point of view, how they survived, what their world was like before the Muggles learned of them. But then he got a better look at the world around him, what Earth and Humanity had become in his absence and gave that idea up.
No one would care.
He turned and watched as the grey people shuffled past him, dirty unwashed bodies pressed against one another because of water shortages, thin and sickly looking from a bankrupt diet of cheap carbohydrates and synthetic protein. Harry had forced himself to adapt to the food, desperation forced him to choke it down and keep it down, his body adapted to it in time. He hadn't been to the hospital again, no matter how sick he got, regardless of how hard the Planet hammered his skull until blood dribbled from his eyes and ears. He was a survivor. He was nothing if not adaptive.
He had yet to discover anything useful about Pandora, but, he did know where and when the next ship taking off for the Moon would be.
Two months from now, Resources Development Administration launch Site Alpha 5 in Dallas, Texas. Take off at O'six hundred in Valkyrie Shuttle Six.
After that, he didn't know what would come. He would figure it out when he got there.
Living like a Tramp taught you a few things, things that Harry already knew but it was still nice to get a refresher course in what it was like to be alone, to only have yourself to rely on.
Being with Ron and Hermione and Neville and Luna had made him soft if he was completely honest.
He found himself automatically turning to ask Hermione for information, only to remember she was no longer with him and fall quiet, he would then get on and find out what he needed to know himself. He would look to Ron for back up during a street brawl, only to remember he wasn't there either when a meaty fist cracked into his jaw, he would get to his feet and put his attackers into the hospital. He would grin and open his mouth to ask Luna if she thought there were Crumple Horned Snorkacks on Pandora whenever he caught a glimpse of it on the TV, only to remember she wasn't there either, he would close his mouth and move on before the shopkeeper called security.
It was hard, having to remind himself that they were dead, but at the same time, he got used to it, he adapted. His heart hardened even as he held their memory close and cherished every second he had spent with them.
Those memories seemed so bright and warm and colourful now, surrounded by the cold and grey and dirty of the Muggle cities around him.
He couldn't wait to get to Pandora, to be around living things again, trees and plants and animals. He had never been a man for stone and cities; he had been more comfortable in the Weasley's ramshackle house and overgrown orchard, the Forbidden Forest and the gardens of Privet Drive than the cold stone of the castle, the Dursley's immaculate house or the tall skyscrapers of London.
And then, like a snake uncoiling and lunging, the Planet struck.
Harry roared in pain, his legs crumbling beneath him as he gripped at his head, fingers digging harshly into his scalp as he felt her burrowing through his skull, clawing at his brain. She burned like a supernova behind his eyes, her power so overwhelming and raw and desperate it quickened his heart just with its presence. And in a moment of desperation...
Harry lashed out with his magic to push Her away.
The pain was horrific.
His mind drowned even as his Magic fought, tooth, claw, nail, power and soul against the twisted hungry wraith that was its Mother. And then the pain faded away and Harry felt his mind connect with the Planet's and he Knew Everything.
His mind drifted.
It was quiet.
Not dark, not bright.
He could hear the breath of all things.
Their heartbeats...
And he Knew them.
It vanished under a roar of pain and anger and insanity. It crushed him and ripped him and burned him and screamed and writhed and tore at Herself. And Harry woke. Green eyes staring up at the smoky poisoned sky. Blinking away the stinging bead of sweat that dribbled into his eye as he panted, lungs desperately clawing in oxygen.
But he still Knew.
His hands were shaking.
Even now, six hours after she struck, he was still shaking, still cold with realisation and pain. His mouth tasted of blood and sweat and those godawful protein bars.
Harry was sat back in his little hovel, back to the wall, watching the world walk by from the mouth of the alleyway, between the dumpster and the drain-pipe, curled up in his cardboard-box, slightly soggy now, with the acidic rain he shelter from. The black bin-liners he used for waterproofing did well enough to protect him, for now.
He'd won.
The trembling in his hands increased for a moment before he got himself under control, sticking them in his armpits, flinching slightly from the chill before huddling up into a ball, curling as close to his bag as he could humanly get. It was filled with all the things he planned to take with him to Pandora, anything he might need, he couldn't afford to lose it – so he kept it with him at all times, and had to put up with the attempted muggings almost daily.
With everyone on a massive Witch Hunt, most of the Magic Folk had turned to Muggle methods of defence rather than their Wands. Even holding a Wand caused their Magical Cores to unlock and burn with power – power that was visible on an Infra-red scale, making their body temperatures look higher by five degrees than the average Muggle. So they learned how to use guns, how to fight with knives and swords and bows and arrows, they learned how to fight with their bodies, hand to hand, brawling, boxing, Martial Arts, just punching the shit out of each other. It didn't matter. Holding a Wand was suicide so they had to learn how to defend themselves another way.
Harry was no Martial Artist, he was a Brawler.
Probably not a good idea considering his size and strength, but he was fast, agile and mean. He managed it and he did well at it. Whoever the poor bastards that went up against him were had no idea just who they were fucking with. Even She had forgotten just who She was mind raping, he wasn't some Pureblood with more Magic than sense, he was Her Champion. Sickening as it was.
Oh god, Harry swallowed tightly, forcing bile back down into his stomach as he felt it boil up his throat.
He had defeated the Planet, Mother Gaia, in a contest of Magic.
He had beaten her! The very entity who gave him that power!
Just how weak had she become?
He could feel her now, huddled up as closely to his presence as she could get, like an injured bird looking for warmth and just as fragile. He felt sick and horrified and tired, oh so very tired, and all he could do to offer her comfort was to wrap what warmth he could spare around her, emotions of happiness and comfort and safety. It was all he could do.
And he waited.
Waited for the Launch Date to come because...
Because...
Sneaking in was abominably difficult.
But Harry wasn't the son of a Marauder for nothing, being sneaky and silent and unseen was in his blood – regardless of whether or not he had an Invisibility Cloak or not.
He didn't need one.
Launch Site Alpha 5 looked more like an Aeroplane runway than a Blasting platform for a spaceship, but then, Harry was comparing this to the Moon missions he saw as a child, peering through the slits of his cupboard door while his Uncle watched the news. Sneaking in was a pain but, like he said, he was the son of a Marauder, they hadn't yet invented a place that a Marauder couldn't get into and now, without Mother Gaia digging her claws in, Harry was free to use what Magic he could – even if she did eventually latch onto his enchantments and consume them once he had moved on.
He couldn't help the wry half smile on his lips as he heard what could have only been described as purring in the back of his mind.
He clung to things, crawled, sneaked and brazenly marched past people he had no right to treat like wall-paper, no one even called him on it. After all, he wasn't dressed or looking like a tramp anymore, he had cleaned up and dressed himself in a pair of black slacks and a light blue shirt, a transfigured I.D. badge hanging from his neck. Coupled with the large temporarily navy blue coloured sack-bag over his shoulder, he looked like any other member of the Squint Squad as he heard the Marines calling them.
Breaking away from the pack was the difficult part, security was everywhere and there were cameras watching their every move. It wouldn't have surprised him if there were even hidden cameras in the lady's loos (there were but no one needed to know that, except security).
Times like this, he loved being a Wizard, a quick Notice me Not, a Disillusionment while darting past a Scientist absorbed in a book with large bold text reading 'NA'VI' written across the front cover. Not even the cameras noticed his disappearance as he Silenced his bag and shoes and flitted into the Ship Hanger.
The Valkyrie was a gleaming masterpiece of science and money, Harry looked at it and decided it looked a little like what would happen if someone crossed a microwave, Dobby, baby Norbert and a Thestral.
Finding a safe niche amidst all the equipment about to get shot out into the Alpha Centauri system, Harry curled up and waited. They wouldn't be launching the shuttle up to the ship for another three hours, once they'd docked with the Ship – Interstellar Vehicle Venture Star (and really, he was more than a little disappointed they hadn't called it the Star Ship Enterprise, or even Voyager) – and unloaded all the scientists into the Cyro-Pods, Harry would take a quick look around for somewhere else to possibly hide, or stay in his little niche until they reached Pandora.
He felt Gaia rumble in the back of his mind, ghostly fingers pressing against his mental barriers. Hungry and disappointed. He allowed her to eat the enchantments from him, watching as his skin which had previously gained an odd kind of crosshatching to match the floor of the machine cockpit he was hiding in faded back to the pale fleshy shade it should have been.
He frowned slightly at the sensation, huddling down even deeper into his niche just in case she forgot herself and tried to Mind Fuck him again, he did not want to go into seizures in a place he most certainly shouldn't have been and he didn't want the headache or the sore throat from screaming – and he definitely didn't want to have to deal with the Muggles. Fear sent a cold chill down his spine; he definitely didn't want to be found by the Muggles. It was all he could do earlier not to freak out when he was trailing behind the Scientists, absolute focus on getting into the ship and the knowledge of what would happen if he fucked up went a long way for motivation to calm down. He looked around his Niche before deciding he needed something less likely to be found or seen.
A quick check of his surroundings and Harry was out. Climbing the luggage racks until he found a brilliant little spot to hide in, it was used to store first aid kits, fire safety equipment and extra food rations, he assumed that it was a 'just in case' thing. Like just in case there was a problem with the ship and they had to high tail it, at least they would have medicine, food and warmth.
Unpacking the blankets and hiding in his new little niche, Harry set his bag at his back where it would hide him from any eyes that decided to look this way and curled up, cocooning himself in the thermal blankets.
He was dimly aware of all the Muggles coming on board, the sudden explosion of noise and chatter and the bellowing of the Drill Sergeants as they hustled the Scientists and the Marines to their seats. Harry kept silent and stared at the wall in the darkness of his little den, listening to him explain the safety procedures and what they were to do once they got into zero gravity. Then came the tannoy system announcing a count down until blast off.
Harry suddenly felt queasy all of a sudden.
He felt Gaia press against his mental shields like a kitten for warmth and he could only sigh silently and gently push her presence away, ignoring the soft whimper and weak pawing at his mental shields.
/Goodbye/ he told the Planet as the engines kicked in.
Harry slept and slept and he dreamed.
But most of all...
He Knew.
Voldemort had no idea just how right he had been when he called Muggles a Parasite. It was ironic that should he have actually won the war, it would have saved them all, Magic would have thrived and flourished and the Muggles would have died out and Earth and Gaia would have been the better for it.
Muggles were not native to Earth.
They were created, and then twisted and unleashed upon her. By whom Gaia never knew, and in the beginning, she knew nothing of these new children she found upon her. But she welcomed them all the same; curious in a way that a kitten would be as she watched them grow and nurtured them as though they were her own children. She watched proudly as her First Born, as the Magi, the Blessed, led them and taught them. And she was pleased and happy and everything was good.
But Muggle was not like Magi.
Magi were happy with the balance; they understood the need for balance, for death, for life. They understood hardwork and moderation and the need for both.
Muggle did not.
Muggle, young and impetuous in the way of all small children, decided different and did different and while not agreeing, Mother Gaia allowed them their way. All her Children needed to find their way and Magi, as Muggle's older sibling, stood down and kept watch, nudging things to maintain the balance and prevent Muggle from hurting themselves.
So they allowed Muggle to grow and learn and become Man.
And as time progressed and Muggle became stronger, strong enough for them to do as they wished and ignore Magi, strong enough to silence Mother Gaia.
Spoilt and lazy, Muggle continued to grow and continued to take and take from an ever tiring Mother Gaia who tried desperately to fulfil the needs of her voracious child while Magi tried to regulate Muggle, tried to get them to stop so their Mother could Recover. Tried to maintain the Balance.
But Muggle didn't stop. They just Consumed. Consumed. Consumed.
Mother Gaia's voice no longer reached them and Magi was forgotten and ignored as desperately they tried to maintain the Balance, desperately tried to save their Mother but Her Voice was weak now and soon, she too, fell silent. Marshalling her strength, occasionally Blessing a child of Muggle in the hopes that they would aid their Magi brethren and stop the Muggle.
They never stopped.
And the Magi forgot their Mother and hid from Muggle as their greedy eyes turned to them and became jealous and frightened of their power.
Magi became Wizard, and Wizard became Squib, and Squib became Muggle.
And their Mother became Weaker and Weaker as Muggle Consumed and Consumed and Consumed.
So... in a way... The Purebloods had been right when they assumed the decline of Magic was the fault of Muggleborns. Mother Gaia became desperate and began to bestow more of her Gift upon the Muggle Children, hoping, preying that they would realise the problem and stop their fellow Muggles. But they never did. And the Purebloods were dying out, their children being born without Mother Gaia's gift because it went to a Muggle child, and soon... eventually...
They stopped having children altogether.
Because Muggle had found Magi and in their greed and their fear and their hunger, they Consumed and Destroyed their older Sibling.
And in doing so, killed their Precious Mother.
Green eyes flickered open, frost cracking and flaking from his eyelashes. His eyes feeling dry and heavy, his heart beating sluggishly in his chest, blurry vision took in the frost that clung to his hair and the glittering light of his thermal blankets.
Oh... They didn't heat the Shuttles did they? Because no one was in there... Did they even pump oxygen into the Shuttle bays?
They must have, otherwise Harry was fairly sure he would be dead by this point. Even he couldn't survive being unable to breathe, cold sure, he had enough Basilisk venom and Phoenix tears in his blood to mean his blood couldn't freeze and, like the Basilisk, he could go into extended periods of hibernation without the need for food or water.
Of course, not that he was awake, he was utterly ravenous and if he didn't eat soon there would be hell to pay. Wait, wasn't there food rations in his Niche? The 'Just in Case' hole in the wall he had called home for... how ever long the journey to Pandora took.
Wriggling weakly in his frost rimed blankets, he found the plastic boxes of food rations and numbly fumbled with them, snapping the catches open and finally getting into the damn things. He watched in vague fascination as a bar drifted free of his fingertips and floated in front of him. Zero gravity?
He cast it out of his mind in favour of more important things. He snatched the Ration bar and stripped it of its foil coverings, cramming it into his mouth in a way that would have had Hermione cracking his knuckles with a spoon for. He tore into the food rations with a fury, digging out a sealed baggy with an oddly shaped straw that he found was filled with a bitter chalky tasting water – no doubt full of vitamin and mineral supplements to name a few.
Food and liquid decimated beyond all reason, he lay back, floating slightly in his Niche – bag jammed into place preventing him from drifting out into the main cargo area – he actually felt better now than when he had first woken up in this strange time.
Shifting slightly, he was aware of people milling around and of the world jerking and shaking, that damnable Tannoy system announcing their ETA to Hell's Gate Tower Base. He rubbed at his face, mouth feeling tacky and dry and generally all sorts of 'blegh'. At least someone had turned on the heating, downside was now that they had the frost rime that had clung to him and the blankets was melting and making him damp.
Worming his way out of his Blankets and gripping his bag, the young/old Wizard peered silently into the loading bay below him, men in army fatigues sat on one side, men and woman in various states of smart-casual clothing on the other side the scientists he had followed earlier. Harry's bag had returned to its original colour, which was quite a nice shade of black if he did say so himself – probably why it had not been noticed as 'out of place' by the anally retentive Army Drill Sergeants. The Boy Who Lived shuffled back out of sight and fought every desire and instinct just to close his eyes and go back to sleep, he needed to remain awake so he could Apparate out of the Cargo Bay and into Pandora before someone noticed him there.
The ship trembled and shook and Harry felt it immediately when they broke through the atmosphere.
It was like he was breathing Life itself.
"Whoa," he breathed silently, his heart fluttering like a bird in his chest, his fingertips tingling with the amount of raw power that already was beginning to saturate his body. And then he felt the presence of this world's Mother. Her vast, alien consciousness that reached out to him, and he withdrew, panicked and alarmed at her rapid approach. He squirreled himself away from her senses out of fear – she was stronger than Gaia, older than Gaia, and he was afraid that she would know better than Gaia and burn through his mind before he became a threat to her the same way as Muggle had to his Mother.
The presence paused, stopped and slowly retreated, like it was trying to calm a wild animal.
It worked, for the most part.
Harry relaxed, relaxed enough to realise that the Drill Sergeant was coming his way and he panicked. Grabbing his bag he concentrated and Jumped.
The crack of displaced air throughout the hanger was drowned out by the roar of a gun turret and the death shrieks of some Pandorian creature caught in its cross-hairs.
It felt like he was swimming through treacle.
Harry cracked into existence outside the ship, crumpling to his hands and knees panting as though he had just run a marathon. The air smelled like cinnamon. He was surrounded by pink willow fronds and smiled slightly, brushing a hand down the oddly textured thing, they were more like tentacles than leaves or branches.
That was perhaps all he had time to admire before the thick poison air of turned his world to darkness.
Chapter Fin...
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