Title: Barbarians at the Gate
Genre: Action/Adventure, Sci-fi/Fantasy
Rating: R for language and some violence (future)
Fandom: Crossover between Harry Potter & the Kick Ass Girls (KAG)
For the convenience of the readers, I'm going to try to maintain an index. Wish me luck!
Index:
Page 1
Chapter One, Part 1: The Barbarians
Chapter One, Part 2: The Barbarians (cont.)
Chapter Two: Overtures
Chapter Three, Part 1: Alliances
Page 2
Chapter Three, Part 2: Alliances (cont.)
***************
Disclaimer: I dont own any character or attribute of the Harry Potter realm. This work is intended as fanfiction, and therefore I receive no benefit or profit from it. If you really want to sue me, the best you can do is take my cat please.
The KAG characters are the intellectual properties of their creators, who are excellent authors in their own rights and who graciously allow their personas to be borrowed in fanfictions by other members of this board. If you would like to become a member of the KAG and/or wish to borrow these characters, please ask permission first. Thanks
I would also like give some serious props to OneGoodRose for being gracious enough to be my Beta Reader for this work. Thanks, Rose! You Kicketh Much of the Ass!
Chapter One: The Barbarians
(Part One)
***I do not separate people, as do the narrow-minded, into Greeks and barbarians. I am not interested in the origin or race of citizens. I only distinguish them on the basis of their virtue. For me each good foreigner is a Greek and each bad Greek is worse than a barbarian. Alexander the Great***
Harry adjusted his robes calmly and got a nudge in the side from Ron for it. Primping for the new girl, are we? Ron asked him with a wink.
Shut it, Ron, Harry grinned.
Ron noticed that the last of Ravensclaw had filed into the Great Hall. Turning to the students behind them he called, Alright Griffyndor, ready to march!
Ron was finding his new responsibilities as Head Boy in his Seventh year at the English school of Wizards known as Hogwarts to be more challenging than hed expected, and the term hadnt even officially started yet. He should have realized that his own behavior in his first six years was mirrored in the curiosity and spirit of many, if not most, of the other students. Hed already intervened between two arguments, caught Nevilles runaway toad, Trevor Jr. (again), and had been forced to leave the line to find two Second Years who had gotten lost on the staircases between the Hall and their rooms. He looked behind him, and was relieved that his charges appeared to have settled down enough to be following him obediently. No wonder Percy had always seemed so full of his own importance.
The hall was decorated, as always for the Sorting Ceremony, with the ceiling enchanted to resemble the night sky and blazing with hundred of candles. Harry scanned the room for Playa, however, and caught her watching him with eyes laughing just before he was ready to seat his students. He gave her a brief nod and a smile. She winked in return, and sprouted just enough whiskers to twitch them at him. Harry blushed a little, despite himself.
I think she fancies you, mate, Ron muttered to him jokingly.
Ron, keep it up, and Ill leave your underwear in Hermiones Book of Spells, Harry muttered under his breath. They both knew it was an empty threat, but Ron groaned heartily, nonetheless.
Wheres Madam Pince? Hermione asked, from a few seats down.
Ron and Harry followed her point to the seat of the librarians chair and saw a new faculty member sitting there.
Dunno, said Seamus, elbowing Dean sitting next to him. But shes a looker, eh?
And shes actually smiling, Dean said. I thought that was against Library Policy. Isnt it?
The new librarian was looking around her surroundings with evident interest; her brown eyes were sparkling and she was smiling with good humor. Harry didnt think she was all that pretty, but he could see that she was a definite improvement to Madam Pince. Her dark brown hair, unadorned by the kind of hat many of the other female professors chose to wear, curled around her shoulders, and she was wearing the sapphire robes of her position.
I hadnt heard we were getting a new librarian, Hermione complained. Who is she?
What do you mean? Asked Ron. If the great Hermione doesnt know, how can we mortals possibly be expected such knowledge? At Hermiones dark look he smiled innocently.
Harry noticed something odd about the new faculty member, however. Not only was no one speaking to her, each of them seemed to be in various stages of upset. Professor Flitwick was alternately covering his face with his hands and throwing the woman looks of dismay. Professor Sprout and Madam Hooch were whispering animatedly, and were also throwing the woman looks, though they seemed more curious than anything else. Professor Snape, however, was staring ahead with a virulent scowl on his face. Whatever had the teachers in a fit, Snape seemed the most obviously angry about it. So much so that the new professor of the DADA was having a hard time getting his attention. The new DADA was also female. Harry didnt think she looked much like a threat against dark magic, though. She had long, flowing mahogany hair and a serene look that made her look regal next to the other teachers. She looked more like a Greek goddess than any teacher Harry had ever seen. She finally managed to get Snapes attention with a tug at his sleeve, and he leaned closer to hear what she was saying into his ear. It must have been about the new librarian as well, for Snape followed her discreet glance and frowned.
New Defense Against the Dark Arts, as well, Harry said.
But theres always a new DADA, isnt there? Ron said blithely. Whens the last time one of them lasted more than a year?
Yeah, said Dean. Ive never known any of the other faculty to change, really.
Nope, agreed Seamus. Thought they were all fixtures. But if were talking lookers, that ones got my vote
We heard you the first time! Now, ssssshhh, Hermione hissed. Theyre bringing in the First Years.
************************
Will this shit ever end? Tigga complained loudly, throwing a wadded ball of paper at one of the monitors showing a seemingly endless parade of robe-clad children waiting for their turn to try on a weathered brown hat.
Slytherin! the Hat announced to the hall, and was broadcast through the speakers in the control room where Tigga sat with Rose, Meg, and Wraith.
Whats that thing doing? Meg asked curiously.
Thats the Sorting Hat, Rose said, flipping through the dossier in a folder in front of her.
Its a talking hat, Wraith said flatly, staring at the monitor closely. And I dont think its animatronic.
It tells the children which of the schools housing groups theyll belong to during their education at Hogwarts. They can be sorted into Ravenclaw, Slytherin, Griffyndor, or Hufflepuff, Rose continued. Answering Wraith, she added, Yeah, its a talking hat, and no, its not animatronic.
Kinda cool, Wraith commented. But kinda creepy, too.
Rose put one hand up to the microphone in front of her mouth. Plasmo, can you give me a pan of the room? To Tigga she said, Punch up Plasmos visual on four.
Check, Tigga said, and typed in a couple of strokes on her keyboard.
The view of the monitor marked 4 with a black sharpie flickered then, showed the perspective captured through the camera feed in Plasmocats right contact lens. Rose smiled. Technology was even more cool, she thought with satisfaction.
Theres Playa, Meg said. Using the microphone on her own headset, she told Tigga, Get a zoom of her, if you can. Whats she doing? Playa had sprouted a few whiskers and was twitching them at someone off-screen. To Plasmo, Meg said, Whos she looking at? Can you get it?
The video feed turned to where a tall, rather scruffy-looking boy with round glasses was blushing in obvious response to Playas flirting. He was sitting next to a red-headed boy wearing a squat black hat, who was looking rather preoccupied with keeping up with the students around him.
We know him, Rose mused, and flipped through her folders. She pulled one out. Harry Potter. Yeah. Trust Playa to zoom in on one of the important players. Good work.
Thats the one whos linked to that evil wizard, Voldemort, Wraith said. Shed read over her copies of the dossiers last night, although she hadnt brought the papers with her. Battled him a couple of times, right?
Right. And Voldemorts the reason they need the old guy, Tigga nodded.
Rose snorted, Yeah. The old guy is Dumbledore. Headmaster of the school, and basically the commander of their resistance.
I thought he was more like general of their army, Meg said, a little confused. Thats how it kind of read to me.
I suppose if they have a regular army you could see it that way, Rose agreed. Maybe they do, but you know their Ministry of Magic isnt going to tell us whether they have one or not. Not a bunch of Muggles.
Muggles, Wraith sneered. What a name for people who cant do magic. What does that mean, anyhow? Bloody prejudiced if you ask me. Can you imagine closing off your entire culture out of some kind of racist bullshit like that?
Better off in some ways, Rose countered. The way those pricks at the Ministry acted, just having to brief us, I get the feeling we non-magic folk would get the short end of the stick if most of those wizard-types had their way. And they werent even the bad guys.
Maybe, Meg said thoughtfully. Maybe they closed themselves off because of some kind of cultural self-defense mechanism? Remember the Salem witch trials? I know I wouldnt have forgotten that in a hurry.
Could be, Rose said slowly. But there was doubt written all over her, despite Megs salient point. . Just remember, though, if Voldemort wins this war of theirs, the magical world wont be the only one affected. He used to have an elite squad called Death-Eaters, and they didnt just kill wizards. They hunted Muggles for sport. If he wins, chances are well all be affected.
So how come were not just going in to take him out? Tigga asked, with a grin. I imagine a few mortar shells up his ass would take care of that little problem. They all chuckled.
Been hanging out with Plasmo again, huh? Rose teased. Well, thats what Plasmo asked Minister Fudge. He seemed appalled at the idea of letting any of us anywhere near that kind of mission. In fact, he didnt seem to want to work with us at all. If it hadnt been for the pressure the US Department of Magic was putting on them, I doubt they would have given any of us the time of day.
And if Plasmo hadnt been the only Muggle with both the security clearance and the library skills they need for this assignment, they still wouldnt have called us in. Once her old bosses at the CIA found out she was married to the elves, they were determined to push for her being placed for this assignment, Meg concluded.
Politics, Wraith said, disgusted. Not just between magical and non-magical, and not just between countriesoh, no. We have to be caught in inter-company disputes, too. Of course the CIA couldnt let the DoM call the shots by itself. Wraith referred to the Department of Magic by its acronym.
Yup. Rose was just as uncomfortable with the arrangement as the others. But, once the mission had been spelled out, the KAG had all decided it was too important to pass up. Well deal with it, though. We always do.
Ugh, Tigga said, distracting them all. Whats up with that guys hair? How can Dia stand to get so close to him? Take a BATH!! she yelled at the monitor. Looking around and seeing that the other women were wondering what she meant, she pointed to the video feed coming in from Dias contact lens. Dia was whispering close to the ear of the tall potions professor, but they had the volume down too low to hear what she was saying. Tigga had already commented on how yellow his teeth were and how huge his nose was.
Yeah. Snapes a charmer all right, Rose smirked. That was one assignment I dont envy. She sniggered.
The Ministry of Magic had wanted to send Plasmocat into the Librarian position at their school of wizardry alone, however the KAG had decided there was no way they were going to send in any operative into a situation so hostile to non-magical beings without any form of backup.
It was a good thing the school always seemed to be advertising for a new teacher for their Defense Against the Dark Arts position, because it gave them an excellent opening to insert one of their own. Both Meg and Jo had volunteered for the position, Meg having psychic abilities and Jo having strong healing skills. However, although both were skills which would have lent themselves easily to teaching students to defend themselves against jinxes and hexes, both Rose and Plasmo had agreed it was better to keep a couple of powerful aces up their sleeves in case they needed leverage from the outside.
Rose hadnt wanted to admit it out loud, but she felt this was the most dangerous of the assignments they had assigned this time. The DADA position at Hogwarts had the nasty reputation for being cursed, and it was said that the teachers tended to turn out evil. Plasmo had suggested Dia, a/k/a Doctor Evil for the mission, since she would have the temperament required to be a sort of double agent.
Playa, having discovered her ability to metamorph into a kind of cat girl was accepted into the school on the pretense of being a last-minute exchange student. She was there for backup and surveillance, but it was hoped she was a card the KAG didnt have to play. All she had to do for now was blend in with the students, which she seemed to be doing fairly well, so far. She had been sorted into Griffyndor, which was the same house as the notorious Harry Potter.
Id watch that Snape guy, though, Wraith said, observing the way Snapes eyes shifted across the Hall in an endless search for trouble. He seems the kind who likes to know things.
Actually, Im more worried about Dumbledore, Rose said. If he knows weve penetrated his school I just want to know what hes likely to do.
Rose knew what she would do if she discovered KAGville had been infiltrated, and that wasnt an optimistic thought at all. Not even a little bit.
