Someone Else's Problem
Chapter 6
“Would you like to have this conversation before or after Crowley gets here?” Hera inquired, once she’d sat across the desk from Dumbledore. “We never did have that conversation, you know.”
Albus sighed, before nodding. “I must admit, I had rather hoped to avoid it.”
“There’s something in that conversation, Albus, that I’ll need to know.” Hera told him. “I’m not sure why, or even what it is. I’ll know when I hear it, I suppose, but I’m not sure why my instincts are so insistent on it.”
The man nodded, his expression weary, but he began to tell her a story. In essence, he told her where the bones were. He told her how he and Gellert Grindelwald had wanted to take on the world together – and hadn’t that been a surprise to learn – how they wanted to find the Deathly Hallows and become the Masters of Death. She didn’t know what those were, or what the title meant, but something about it pulled at her like it might be a now problem…somehow. His tale continued with the death of his sister, something that had changed him, and it had caused a further rift between him and Gellert.
The story continued as she pieced things together. Every death, every connection, every chance of help that was withheld; he’d had good reasons, or so he’d believed. Hera didn’t see it that way, couldn’t bring herself to agree with his ‘greater good’. She knew far too well the lie it was, even if it was one he’d convinced himself was truth. She’d heard a similar line before in that last life, after all, knew it was a trap anyone – including herself – could fall for.
“I have tried to make up for my mistakes, but in trying to do so I fear I may have made things far worse. Because I knew what was at stake, I was willing to take risks I shouldn’t have, play with peoples lives when they were better left alone. I did what I thought I had to do. I told myself their sacrifice was worth it, that it was for the greater good.”
“I’ve heard that line before. It comes in many forms, all lies; to themselves or others, it matters not.” Hera stated, sounding tired to her own ears. “You’re not even the worst example I’ve seen of what happens when that plan backfires.”
He looked surprised at that.
“I know of a man who is willing to destroy half of all life – all life, you understand – in an effort to restore balance to the universe; for the greater good, or so he believes.” Hera continued. She was relieved to see how horrified he was by that. “That he is willing to do this as an offering to Death for her favour, perhaps as a courting gift, is immaterial. The point is that there is nothing he won’t do for his greater good. Do you understand?”
“I remind you of him.”
“Not entirely, but yes; a little.” She admitted. “You appear willing to do anything, destroy or sacrifice anyone, if it means achieving your idea of the greater good. I suppose it’s not him you truly remind me of, but another keeper of secrets and lies, one I don’t fully understand the motivations of.”
“You see what I’ve done as a betrayal.” Albus realized. “No wonder you’ve been so cross with me all these years. You’ve never really trusted me the way your parents did.”
“It’s not the betrayal.” Hera corrected. “It’s the lack of remorse. In that whole story, you never once apologized for you actions. You acknowledge they were wrong, and then justified them anyway.”
He was going to object, she could tell, and so she glared at him as if daring him to try it; he didn’t.
“You allowed innocents to die, Albus; knew they were innocent when you stepped aside and let them be slaughtered.” Hera growled. He closed his mouth and hung his head slightly at that, unable to object; It hadn’t been what he’d meant to happen, she guessed, but he’d still allowed it. “Even though you’ve explained it to me, I still don’t understand. The greater good is a lie we tell ourselves, convinced it’s achievable and that others will agree with our version of it.”
“What would you have done?” Albus tried. “If I hadn’t-”
“I’d have given up my own life, without hesitation; it’s mine to give!” She snapped, slamming her fist down onto the desk; not to break it, but for emphasise. “Just don’t ask me to give up anybody else’s! That’s how evil starts; with the belief that the ends justify the means, that it’s all ‘for the greater good’. But once you start down that road, Albus, it’s damn near impossible to force yourself to turn back. Even now, you’re trying to justify it to yourself. What if you can save a million lives, but you have to let ten people die? Or a hundred? Or a hundred thousand? Where do you stop?!”*
“…How long have you known about the horcrux in your scar?” Albus asked, barely above a whisper now.
“The moment I freed Professor Snape of the Dark Mark.” Hera admitted, surprising him; Guess the dour Potions Master hadn’t seen fit to tell him exactly how it had happened, or who was responsible. “I didn’t know what it was called, but I knew what it was all the same; a piece of a soul that shouldn’t have been there; and you…You weren’t even going to tell me!”
“Alright, I think that’s enough now.” Crowley announced, morphing into the room. “I doubt you called this meeting to eviscerate the old man before I could give pointers.”
Hera took a few calming breaths before nodding to him, a silent thanks for bringing her back to herself, and then she looked back to Albus. “I could never bring myself to blindly trust you, because I saw the address on my Hogwarts letter.” He blinked in confusion then, so she elaborated. “Hera Potter, The Cupboard Under the Stairs, Little Whinging, Surrey.”
“That was all it took?”
“That was the first thing, really, but the only one I needed.” Hera confirmed. Albus seemed slightly confused, both by her logic and lack of anger now, and she decided to clarify. “It told me all I needed to know; that whoever sent that letter – be it you or Minny – someone knew my living condition with the Dursleys, and they didn’t care. I kept her at arms length too, till she explained herself. You never bothered. I get that in war, people die, but you’ve been sacrificing enemies and allies alike in what is supposed to be peace time, Albus. That’s got to stop. Make amends, if you can. Be better. Try.”
“So you’re not…You heard all of that, know everything I’ve done, that I’d planned your death to save the wizarding world, and…” Albus tried, looking even more confused than before. “You are more forgiving than I deserve. To be honest, I rather thought you’d kill me once you heard the whole tale.”
“It’s not really forgiveness, Albus. I just…I’d already made peace with it; my death, if you’re wondering.” Hera admitted with a sigh. “The rest of it…That’s not my place, and I won’t pretend it is. If you want to try for forgiveness, take it up with those you can. Forgiveness isn’t really about deserving anyway. It’s a gift, and one not everyone can afford to give or accept.”
He nodded, still uncertain, but Hera could feel a shift in the magic of the air around him; he truly meant it.
“I’m sorry, but could one of you explain the significance of the cupboard under the stairs?” Crowley inquired. “I don’t know what that means.”
“It was where I slept, with the cleaning supplies, until I was eleven.” Hera replied, her voice dull. Crowley actually turned to glare at Albus, who already looked like he’d been put through the ringer, and Hera decided it was time to get to the actual point of the meeting now that Crowley was there. “Crowley, you said you and Aziraphale were aiming for somewhere else when you left your Earth. Where had you intended to go?”
She brought out the Galaxy in a Globe before he uttered the words. “Alpha Centauri.”
The effect was immediate, and the location was illuminated before them in the globe.
“Fascinating.” Albus marvelled, peering into the globe, once she placed it in a little stand on the desk. “Can it show us anywhere?”
“It’s not limitless.” Hera informed him. “It will only show to a certain point. Alpha Centauri is clearly within it, and as luck would have it, it rests within Yggdrasil. It has planets within, occupied by the looks of it, but no world substantial enough to create an entirely new branch; just enough to sort of exist on the outskirts. We can use that.”
“How?” Crowley wondered, peering closer at the images presented, fascinated.
“I think this is why Chuck thought I might need your help.” Hera theorized. “You know this area of space well enough that you wanted to move there. I’m not sure if it’s different in this universe than your old one, but you would be able to spot any inconsistencies. I think…I think we might need that backup plan more than I’d realized, and I think the ICW will like knowing that it’s being planned for regardless of what happens or what they want from me.”
Hera had wanted to bring her shield-brethren with her for this, but there was very little time left. They knew she was worried about the meeting with the ICW, and that she had an idea of what they wanted to talk about. They did not know that she was on her way to Gringotts with Crowley about her idea, or precisely what that idea was. She’d tell them when she got back, when she had something more concrete.
“Ragnok, how much trouble would it be to request an official meeting with our king?” Hera inquired, by way of greeting, knowing that he was one who liked to get to the point quickly. “It’s for business, and it needs to be done quickly.”
“I’m not sure what his schedule is today, but I don’t doubt for a moment he’d discard it for you.” Ragnok stated, gesturing for them both to sit. “Besides being his friend, you are a princess of his kingdom. For you to request an official meeting, it would automatically take precedent over whatever petty squabbles that need settled.”
Hera hesitated, but then nodded, and Ragnok sent a message off.
“Princess?” Crowley inquired. “I thought Flitwick was joking.”
“Well, I mean…he can, but he’d sooner prank you than crack a joke like that.” Hera shrugged.
“While we wait, why don’t you tell me about whatever it is you’re wanting a meeting for?” Ragnok suggested.
Hera revealed the Galaxy in a Globe, and started speaking of Alpha Centauri. The change in location in the sphere was enough to catch the goblin’s attention as she continued. She talked about a seer in the Black Family line, one who had seen what was coming for them, that there were two possibilities. Until now, Hera hadn’t thought about the fact that both possible outcomes could happen at the same time, or that it was perhaps a bit more nuanced than she’d originally thought.
If she was right, it meant that they could start a completely new community, one that would be entirely off planet. There was a possibility that not everyone would want to leave, even with the dangers that organizations like Hydra and Shield presented. There was also the possibility that Shield, or Earth in general, would only accept their help and alliance if they kept strong ties to the planet. These were things she didn’t fully understand the nuances of, or how all the possibilities could play out to affect them. Despite having Loki’s understanding of realm politics within her memories, these were things Hera couldn’t hope to plan for on her own, and she knew it.
“What you’re proposing would be a one way trip for a while, my friend.” Jareth stated, showing up in the office with his usual flair for glitter.
“I’m not suggesting it be done now, but…I can’t do this on my own.” Hera admitted. “This has a chance of working, and I want to know if Gringotts would be willing to enter into business with me on this; if the Kingdom of the Underground would support it.”
“The planet in question has the right kind of atmosphere to support life. There’s vegetation aplenty, just no animals or inhabitants.” Crowley interjected, causing Jareth to turn to him. “It’d need work, but it’s doable.”
Jareth seemed to think about it for a moment, looking as if his mind were far off somewhere, before slowly nodding. “The Kingdom of the Underground would support such a venture, were you to be in charge of it. Do you accept such a stipulation?”
Hera didn’t even have to think about it. “Yes.”
“If another wishes to invest, they will not be given the same importance as yourself, and they too will be expected to take part in the first expedition to the planet.” Jareth warned. “Years, my friend. You and any who go with you would be gone for years. You need to be certain.”
“I doubt it would take more than two to get a working BiFröst or some other transport between the realms.” Hera countered, and then she pulled her trump card. “Tony already has the bare bones of one in the works, but I have an understanding he doesn’t. I could get it done quickly; even more so with help. I could make sure that our two realms keep in contact during the duration. We would not be without communication. In any case, it’s going to take time to get everything together to even make the trip.”
“We’ll put together an estimate of resources and what the cost of such a venture will look like, and schedule an appointment to discuss it.” Ragnok proposed. “I would suggest you speak with your allies and gather what knowledge you think you might need in the meantime, Princess.”
“A planet?” Hermione hissed in reply, once Hera had explained everything that evening. “A planet?!”
This was the first time she’d really gotten to see Hera’s living quarters now that she was a professor. Once Hera had gotten back from Gringotts, she’d called them all over and had proceeded to tell them what she’d worked out. Hera hadn’t wanted to jinx it by talking about it beforehand, and so finding out that there was a whole planet that they could settle on was mind boggling. Seeing the planet within Alpha Centauri had been something as well, and Hermione just knew her dad would have all kinds of references for that when she told him. For now though, she and their other shield-brethren were still reeling from everything Hera had revealed to them.
“Yes, Hermione, a planet.” Hera sighed, smiling fondly.
“You’re avoiding another Slug Club Party by meeting with the International Confederation of Wizards, and your hope is that you can distract them with a planet?” Hermione continued, having a slight crisis.
“If it helps, my first idea to avoid the whole thing was to tell one I couldn’t go because I’d agreed to go to the other, and hide the whole weekend in my quarters.” Hera offered, causing Ron to snort in amusement. “My second idea was to get thrown into Azkaban.”
“Yeah, Uncle Sev told me about that one.” Draco chuckled. “Didn’t think you could come up with anything more wild than that, but clearly I owe Luna 5 galleons.”
“You bet against Luna?” Ron wondered, looking at Draco like he thought he was insane. “Why would you do that?”
“Clearly I was bored and she caught me in a moment of weakness.” Draco shrugged, handing Luna the aforementioned galleons before moving on. “So who are you planning on asking to invest?”
“Draco, whoever invests early like this is going to be one of the first going to the place to get things set up.” Hera warned. “I know you want to suggest your parents, but they’d have to agree to a lot of things I’m not sure they’d be ready for.”
“Like what?” He wondered, curious now.
“There’ll be no hospitals, restaurants, hotels, houses, etc. Everything, and I do mean everything, will have to be made from scratch.” Hera explained. “There’s a lot of family magic tied up in the Malfoy land. Are you really sure they’d be willing to give that up for somewhere new?”
“They might not be, but I am.” Draco insisted, stubbornly.
“That’s a conversation you should have with them. Same thing goes for all of you.” Hera stated, looking to them all now. “By the time things get rolling, you’ll all be old enough that they couldn’t legally stop you, but they’re your family and they love you. They won’t have to threaten you. They’ll use guilt.”
“What about Tony and Salazar?” Luna inquired, knowingly. “They’re your brothers.”
Hera grimaced. “I am not looking forward to that conversation, but I’m hoping they’ll both be too thrilled with the prospect of adventure on another planet to think about all the ways it could blow up in our faces. Tony’s taking this big brother thing seriously, but I didn’t expect Salazar to take to the sibling thing as quickly as he has. He actually offered to threaten a couple of guys for me. Something about making sure they treated me right? I had no idea what he was even talking about.”
“Ah, that reminds me. You need to be careful.” Hermione stated. “It’s not just the guys you’re going to have to worry about, if you can’t find a way to throw off the next invitation to one of Slughorn’s parties. I went into the girls’ bathroom just before I came in here and there were about a dozen girls in there, including that Romilda Vane, trying to decide how to slip you a love potion. They’re all hoping they’re going to get you to take them to Slughorn’s party, and they all seem to have bought Fred and George’s love potions-”
“Damn it. I knew I was forgetting to do something.” Hera mumbled to herself, snapping her fingers, before jotting down something quick like and sending it off via vanishing. “I don’t mind some of the minor ones like that ‘Second Glance’ they worked out, or even those daydream things, but love potions like amortentia have the feel of a muggle date rape drug, and I can’t condone that; no matter how much the wixen culture here deems it ‘not a big deal’.”
…
Meanwhile, Fred and George were enjoying a rather profitable day at their joke shop. Sales had really picked up, and customers loved their various pranks and potions. Love potions especially were becoming a popular item. They were ordering those in droves, and the two were struggling to keep up with the sudden influx. They had just sold one such potion, when a familiar stink filled the air. It was the smell of burnt rubber chickens, one they used to associate with old sacrifices but now likened it to Hera when she was angry about something.
That’s when a single bit of parchment appeared before them, gently floating down until it was resting on the counter. It wasn’t a Howler, which was good. The place was still packed, but at the sight of the parchment appearing, there was an unusual stillness and quiet that filled the shop. It didn’t take a genius to see that the lot of them were curious about the parchment and what was on it. Fred grabbed it, and George came over to read it over his shoulder.
~
Fred and George Weasley,
I want you to imagine everything you know about love potions. I want you to imagine what they do to people, the effect they have on the dosed and the one doing the dosing. I want you think about what happens when someone is unwittingly dosed, whether they want it or not, whether they are believed when they say they were willing or not. I want you to think about all the stories of romance and heartbreak, of shame and guilt, of being told you should have known better than to fall for such a thing. And then?…I want you to imagine it happening to Ginny.
~
A cold feeling passed over them, like someone had poured ice down their spines, as they thought about exactly what could happen to their little sister. They’d not thought anyone would do anything sinister with one of their products. After all. what was the harm in a little love potion between two or more consenting individuals? Another wave of dread washed over them as they remembered the stories they’d heard of some of their year mates, how blokes had been laughed at when they’d claimed not to want it, how girls had cried and huddled together when they’d been laughed at for falling into the spell of a love potion. They remembered their mum telling them how she’d dosed their father when they were young, how he’d laughed it off and reminded them that he loved her already, but that wasn’t the case for everyone.
Could they live with themselves if one of their products hurt their little sister like that? A look shared between them both and they knew the answer. They might prank her, as they would any of their other siblings, but hurting her was out of the question. Fred announced that the store was unfortunately closed for the day, while George cashed out those that were left. No one left with a love potion, and the two resolved to destroy the entire stock.
“I don’t think you should try to distract the ICW with a planet.” Hera heard behind her, and she groaned.
“You know, I remember having normal dreams once.” She remarked, turning to where the voice felt like it was coming from, only to stop at the sight. “Why do you look like James Hong, and what’s with the grungy outfit? Why are you holding a banana?”
“Are you going to ask why I look as I choose every time I visit?” Chuck inquired, grinning.
“Yeah, probably.” Hera admitted with a shrug. “I’m just surprised I recognized who you were going for this time. I guess Tony’s movie marathons have really paid off.”
She looked around them, trying to get a feel for where he’d chosen as his background this time. It just looked like a nondescript city. It could have been anywhere. They stood on a street. People passed by without paying them any mind, going about their day.
“Why should I not distract the ICW with a planet?” Hera wondered. “I can’t get thrown into Azkaban because I’m pretty sure Snape would kill me, and I’ve been told that distracting the ICW with Slughorn and vice versa as I hide out in my quarters would in fact blow up in my face. I’m assuming a tasteful riot or a jaunty civil war is also out, so…”
“If you alert the ICW to your planet idea, they will steal the reins from you, and the venture will fail.” Chuck pointed out. Hera’s shoulders slumped, realizing he was right. “If you want wixen to be able to leave Earth in any capacity, you need to keep it from them for the time being.”
“Okay, so what should I do for the meeting?” Hera inquired, now morbidly curious what his opinion would be. “Don’t tell me I’m going to have to let them gripe about my age, and how I should listen to them just because. We both know I’m not doing that.”
“I am sure you will weather whatever happens.” Chuck replied, not really answering her. Somehow, she’d expected that. “I actually came to tempt you with a bit of lock picking.”
Hera’s brain stalled as she tried to process that. “I’m sorry. You what?”
Immediately, the area around them changed. Gone were the streets of some unknown city. What replaced them was a hell-scape of fire, the smell of sulphur in the air. Before them was a large box Hera couldn’t see the ends of, but what she could see were intricate locks covering the expanse of it. She looked closer, realizing it wasn’t a box, but a cage.
“This is Lucifer’s cage.” Chuck announced, before waffling a bit. “Well, not exactly, but you understand. I designed it to hold him, and I could release him of it, but…to do so as he is now would be disastrous for us both. I was hoping you could…pick a few locks, talk to him, make him see reason.”
“Yeah, I’m gonna stop you right there.” Hera stated, holding her hand up. “I know when smoke is being blown up my arse. What did you do?”
One day she would learn to use that brain to mouth filter everyone else supposedly had, but it didn’t look like it was going to be any time soon.
“I…” Chuck had been about to object, but seemed to deflate with a sigh. “Before light existed, there was only the Darkness. She…I would create, and she would destroy. Nothing ever survived her. She wouldn’t let it. I couldn’t…bring myself to work with her, so I trapped her in a cage of sorts, and gifted Lucifer the key. I knew something would go wrong, but I was too prideful to acknowledge that the key would eventually corrupt him. He grew jealous of humanity, and after he began corrupting my creation, we had to contain him too.”
Hera sat down on a bench that conveniently showed up the moment she needed it, and tried to process.
“So what you’re telling me is that you have two very powerful beings pissed at you, because you let your pride get in the way, and you want my help trying to calm this one; never mind that the other one sounds like she is very much going to be a problem later.” Hera summarized. Chuck nodded, looking slightly apprehensive. “You do realize he’s not likely to forgive you for this, even if he agrees never to try and lay waste to everything you’ve built? You get that that’s a possibility, right?”
“Him forgive me?” Chuck asked, as if wanting to test the sound of it. “He’s the one-”
“You gave him the task of holding back this great thing, a being so powerful that you had to lock her away instead killing her outright, and then you proceeded to neglect him for the shiny new toy that was humanity.” Hera countered, pinning him with a look, surprising him into silence for the moment. “Not only that, you created a spirit of rebellion, and then got mad when it told you no on something. What the fuck did you think was going to happen?”
Chuck sighed again, and sat down next to her. “Crowley did try to remind me you would say things I might not want to hear. I just wish I’d been more open to hearing those words sooner.”
“You are kind of an arsehole.” Hera concurred, surprising the being into looking at her with incredulity. “What? Either I get to say that and live, or you can smite me and become someone else’s problem.”
AN: Quote from Dr Who: The Resurrection of Mars