Ynunlle

Chapter IV

"Well," Harry asked the group, "how do you all feel about this?"

"You start, my love," Luna said. Harry looked at her. "I know you don't want to influence us," she said, "but you obviously have reservations, so why don't you start?"

The five friends sat on three of the stone benches in the courtyard -- Harry and Neville levitating and moving them together. Harry sat by himself and looked at his friends. "I feel manipulated," he told them. "I mean, how many times have I had to save the bloody day? four or five times? Not to mention all the scrapes and problems along the way."

"You still want to be an auror, don't you?" Hermione asked.

"No," he replied heatedly, startling them all, "not really. I want the auror training. If I have to keep on saving the bloody world, I want some proper training! Once I get it, I don't think I could really work for the Ministry."

That they could all understand.

"This won't be as dangerous as some of the things you've had to do," Ginny reminded him. "And, more importantly, we'll be with you."

Harry gave her a strange look.

"I mean that, Harry," Ginny said. "Look, it appears that you're always going to be the one people turn to in these situations. Like it or not, you have the talent and you have a knack for survival. Yes, we can feel hurt if we try this. Yes, we can even be killed."

"But we still want to come with you," Neville broke in.

"If you do this, well, professionally, we obviously won't be with you," Ginny told him, "but if there have to be five of us to make a full party?" She shrugged, as if to say, 'So why not us?'

Harry turned to Luna and Hermione. Luna shrugged and looked at Hermione as well.

Hermione sighed and stood up. "Fine," she said, "let's go tell the Headmaster we'll play 'Dungeons and Dragons' for him."

"What's that?" Neville asked, before anyone else could.

"Come on," Hermione said wearily, "that way I'll only have to explain it once."

"Really?" Dumbledore said in surprise. "Muggle imagination never ceases to amaze me. Have you played?"

"Not really," Hermione admitted. "My parents played at university, and my father still plays every second Saturday of the month. Mum plays every once in a while, helping out the Dungeon Master."

"Is it in any way accurate?"

Hermione smiled at the Headmaster's question. "It's much more Lord of the Rings than real magic."

"Ah," the Headmaster said, "wonderful works. I was so glad Remus here introduced me to Tolkien."

Remus shrugged modestly.

"So far as I know, there are no Ents, Hobbits, elves, or Mount Doom," Dumbledore stated. "There are many trolls, and a much higher number of vampires than here, unfortunately, especially where you will be going."

"Really?" Neville asked, in a trembling voice.

"Vampires are harder to kill on Ynunlle for some reason," Flitwick told them. "A stake through the heart merely aggravates them. Only prolonged exposure to sunlight truly destroys them, although fire and silver will harm them, and beheading will render them harmless for a time."

"Silver?" Harry asked. "Like a silver bullet?"

"Yes," Remus said. "We'll have pistols or shotguns, and silver-tipped bullets. Guns are another thing they don't have there. It's a fairly iron-poor planet, at least on the surface. They do have very abundant supplies of copper and tin to make bronze. They understand gunpowder very well, but can't make the guns, thank goodness."

"Well, there's something not allowed in D-n-D," Hermione said with a slight smile.

"So, you'll do it?" Dumbledore asked.

Harry sighed. "We'll do it."

Somehow, Harry just could not get into the mood for his birthday. All his presents were nice, but this 'mission' put a pall over the proceedings.

After the presents were opened and Harry thanked everyone with as much enthusiasm as he could muster, they sat down to ice cream. "Tell us more about Ynunlle," Harry requested. "What's the universe like? How strange is it?"

"During the day, it's like being in a strange forest, at least the areas I have been in," Dumbledore said slowly, remembering. "The trees don't always match what we think should be there. It would be more like the forest primeval from both here and North America, mixed together, as they were individually thousands of years ago."

"The weather when I was there was much more calm," Flitwick added. "It mostly rains just before dawn where you are going."

"Year 'round?" Neville asked.

"There really aren't any seasons," Dumbledore said. "The planet has no tilt, and its orbit is almost perfectly circular."

"I thought the sun was just a tad redder," Remus suggested.

"Perhaps," Flitwick said, with the air of the connoisseur. "The sky is beautiful, day and night, since there is so little air pollution, and no light pollution."

"And as the day nears dusk, the ring starts showing up. It is so beautiful. . . ." Remus mused.

"The stars are completely different," Dumbledore stated. "So different, that if it is in our universe, rather than a parallel dimension, it must be in a different galaxy. It must be just outside the edge of a spiral galaxy, and you can just discern the form of it in the night sky after midnight in the northern sky, and there are a number of visual spirals and globular clusters in the southern."

"And it is the most beautiful night sky I have ever seen," Flitwick said.

"It is," Dumbledore agreed.

"How many people are there?" Hermione asked.

"We don't know," Dumbledore answered. "The best guess is currently. . . ." He paused to think.

"Maybe as few as three hundred thousand, or as many as one and a half million, perhaps many more," Carole broke in. "A group managed to take in some Muggle technology three years ago -- a small recon drone. There are twelve major land masses and hundreds of large islands, spread over a crescent that extends more than two thirds around the planet. Altogether, my best guess is that there is probably as much land as Eur-Asia and Africa together, although the largest landmass is about the size of Greenland, the smallest three-quarters that size. We didn't get an accurate count on islands between the size of Hawaii and the islands of New Zealand, let alone the smaller islands. Going east to west, the land starts below the equator for about a fifth of the way, follows the equator, more or less for a third, then swings up for about a quarter before going back down towards the equator. There is no land mass near the poles -- there are open oceans at both."

"We only have access to three of the large land masses, and just one of the islands" Carole went on. "The smaller population is for them; if all are inhabited, then the higher number is more likely, if not even higher. The one you're going to in near the top of the northern part of the crescent."

"People tend to group together in small groups that then spread out," Edward said. "I'd be really shocked if they weren't inhabited, but we don't have to worry about that."

"You're going to the most explored land mass, at least from our point of view," Carole went on. "As far as we know, there are no larger towns or cities, just small villages and two small towns. Most have between a hundred and four hundred people, although a few are even smaller. The closest town, the largest we know of and with over a thousand people, is some forty or fifty miles in the wrong direction from where you'll be at any time."

"There aren't any villages directly on your path," Dumbledore added. "There is a small village some fifteen miles or so to the northwest of the starting point, and one about eighteen miles to the south."

Harry, Luna, and Hermione all looked at Dumbledore. "What?" Neville asked.

"We're going to go to a cave where a spout of liquid crystal sheds jewels," Hermione explained. "Someone must go and collect them. If people don't, who or what does?"

Dumbledore explained. "Mountain trolls live at some of the other approaches. Vampires and Dementors collect the jewels to lure victims, although at the moment the vampires seem to be in the ascendent in that area. So, there aren't any villages closer to your route than eleven miles or so; that's the one south of you. You will be going along a path that is mostly a well-built road, which will take you approximately forty-five miles if you have no detours."

"And we have to come back to the arch unless we're injured," Harry asked.

"We can put you in at any arch and pull you out even without your being near an arch, but there is some psychic trauma. It does not do lasting damage, and causes no physical harm, but it is not pleasant," Dumbledore assured them. "We will only pull you out if the time limit comes close to expiring, in some two months, just as you should exit that way only if you are injured."

"How hard is the trip?" Ginny asked. "If it's easy, we could do it in what, two or three days?"

"Remember, there are only twelve hours of daylight," Remus reminded them. "Figure nine hours of usable walking time. If the usual weather patterns hold, we should make nine or ten miles a day without even trying hard, up to twenty or even thirty if we really push it. Worst case scenario? we'll use the first day to get acclimatized, then three to five days to get near the cave. The next day we blow the cave. Five days to get back and get out."

"Twelve days at most," Harry mused. He looked at the teachers. "Really?"

"If everything goes right and we take our time," Edward said. "With luck, we might do it in six or seven days."

"How likely is that?" Harry asked.

"Not very," Edward returned with a grin. "We'll get you set up tomorrow with some good gear. Dobby should have left some maps and guides up in the sitting area. Go on up and change for dinner."

"So," Hermione said, "how do we divide this up?"

"Divide it up?" Neville asked.

"There seems to be just two copies of everything, and we can't all learn all this in a day," Luna said, holding up the papers.

Harry held his hand out and then leafed through them, dividing them up. "Neville," he said holding out one part of the bunch, "you'll take the stuff on the plant-life, of course. Luna, here's the stuff on the runes used there. Ginny, take the Dark creatures info; we'll leave the animal info for Hagrid. I'll take the maps and the stuff on the people."

"What about me?" Hermione demanded.

"You get a copy of everything, of course," Harry said with a straight face. Ginny giggled, while Luna and Neville smiled. Hermione crossed her arms and tried to huff, like she had done when trying to pick a fight with Ron. Harry merely shook his head and kissed Hermione's nose, making her gasp in surprise, and then smile shyly. Harry wasn't going to fight with her.

"Spread out and start looking," Harry said. "We have an hour before we have to get ready for dinner."

Hermione just looked at the stack of material.

"Why don't you go into a spare bedroom?" Luna asked her. "It's private, and I'll bring your dress-robe down in fifty-five minutes."

Hermione scooped up the papers. "Great idea!" She scampered into what had been her and Ron's room the previous Christmas. Harry and Luna shook their heads, and went up to Harry's floor.

Some fifty minutes later, Ginny knocked lightly on the door.

"Aren't you early?" Hermione asked without looking up from her papers.

"It's me," Ginny said in a small voice.

"Oh, come in, Ginny."

Ginny came shyly into the bedroom. Hermione had the papers spread all over the large bed.

"What can I do for you?" Hermione asked, distractedly.

"So, did Harry live up to your expectations?" Ginny asked.

"What!"

"I mean, after your vivid description, I rather thought, well, you might be walking . . . you know."

"We did NOT do that!"

"Oh?"

Hermione flushed a little and mumbled something.

"What was that?"

"I said," Hermione said softly, now enunciating every syllable with clarity, "that while we are not having intercourse until after Luna leaves Hogwarts, I am certain my jaw is not the only one that is aching." Hermione stretched her neck. "We'll get used to it, though."

Ginny blushed very bright red. "Oh." She thought a moment, then two thoughts hit her. "Oh! Err, does that mean, well, do you mean, you and Luna. . . ?"

"We're going to share our lives," Hermione said with dignity, "not divide them."

Ginny shook her head. "Never thought that you . . . I mean I can believe Luna for some reason, but. . . ."

"I know," Hermione admitted, "I never would have thought of going through with it myself. I think it's partially to do with Harry."

Ginny gave a twisted smile. "I had a crush on him for years. I understand."

"But you never could have shared him, could you?" Hermione asked.

"No," Ginny admitted. "How can you?"

"Because I love him, and I know he loves me. The fact that he loves Luna doesn't matter; it doesn't mean he loves me any less. The fact that Luna seems to love me is . . . sweet. I can see why Harry loves her. I never thought I'd have the nerve to share affection with another girl, but it's . . . nice."

Luna tapped on the open door and walked. "Nice?" she teased gently.

Hermione stood and went over to Luna. She awkwardly kissed her on the cheek. "I'm still getting used to it, alright?"

"Alright," Luna said, kissing Hermione lightly but hugging her warmly.

"This had to be your idea," Ginny said. "I mean, I know Harry is a lot more confident, but really!"

Luna gave both her oldest friend and her new lover her secret smile. "You're right, of course. The Harry of even six or seven months ago couldn't be like this." She shrugged. "Edward claims its part of his father's personality peeping through, which does not please Harry!"

She thought a moment more. "Harry has had a most complex and stressful life. For ten years, he had no love. Perhaps he needs love now more than most people do. I know he can take love from both Hermione and myself, and return it."

She looked at Hermione. "I do not believe in categories, especially when it comes to people. I love Harry. I love you. It is very simple to me. I hope it becomes simple for you, too."

Hermione flushed and studied her toes for a moment. The taller girl hugged her. "We need to get dressed for dinner."

Hermione smiled happily and wrapped her arm around Luna's waist. The two slowly left, Hermione's head moving to rest on Luna's shoulder.

Ginny shook her head. "Weird," she muttered.

After a light dinner, the group sat down to ice cream. "Have you come up with any questions yet?" Dumbledore asked.

"I haven't found anything about the cave," Hermione said. "What exactly does this liquid crystal geyser look like?"

"There's a labyrinth," Dumbledore told her. "There are a number of small extrusions of the crystal, but these flake off in small amounts, and there are some shallow puddles, which can be broken up. Deep in the maze is a chamber, where there is a strange little rock spout, a little more than a yard high and roughly six inches across the inner pipe. That is what must be destroyed. Edward will have several small explosive devices, which will destroy the spout. The natives will still have access to the small jewels, but the temptation to our world to make a grab for a controlling jewel will be removed."

"I didn't see anything on language yet," Harry said. "How do we communicate?"

"If you were to become physically trapped via an arch access, you would have some difficulties," Flitwick piped up. "The native language is an interesting one. It is based on a number of ancient north African and Middle-eastern languages, with a heavy overlay of Celtic and Latin, and even some of the Native Australian languages. However, when you are sent in as you will be, it will sound like English."

"And there's no use asking how it works," Carole told them, "because all we have are theories."

"Interesting," Hermione admitted.

"It is," Carole told her. "I really envy you! I've never had the chance to go, and I've been studying it for years!"

"I wish you could go, too," Edward said. "I have to admit, I never wanted to make the trip."

"Why is that?"

"The three-time limit," Flitwick told them. "Any number of Dark wizards have booby-trapped treasures and the like over the centuries. They can't send you physically into Ynunlle unless they happen to control an arch and can toss you through, but there are ways of send you psychically. It was really a very common trap in certain periods of history, and there are likely several thousand traps left. You will be taught how to escape those traps in your Seventh year, although Ynunlle itself will not be explained."

"Bill Weasley has been sent there once already," Dumbledore told them. "At Gringotts, any cursebreaker sent twice is forced to retire."

"Which is why Albus and I could only join you in an emergency," Flitwick told them.

The teens all nodded; they would not like to be stuck in Ynunlle either.

"What did you mean by possible 'psychic trauma' earlier today?" Hermione asked.

"When you are sent psychically into Ynunlle, you will likely have visions," Dumbledore told them. "These may be visions of the dead, or visions of the past or of possible futures. They all tend to be positive on the way in."

"One reason some people want to make the trip," Carole put in.

"True," Dumbledore agreed. He went on, "If you come out at the same gateway you go in at, there are no further visions. If you are pulled out, or come out through a different gate, you will have some very bad visions."

"If you are seriously injured, you're usually able to ignore them," Remus added drily.

"We can send you to any gateway on Ynunlle from any gateway here, but you should always exit from the one you are sent in from," Dumbledore continued. "We are sending you to a protected glade. There are nine such locations still functioning on Ynunlle. So far as we know for sure, only those sent from our world can access the areas. The others tend to be guarded by passwords."

"But are the visions true?" Hermione asked before Dumbledore could go on about gateways they would not be using.

"Visions are not prophesies, just as prophecies are not fate" Luna said. "Visions are just possibilities; prophecies are probabilities. We can work to make visions true."

"Quite correct," Dumbledore told her. "You certainly earned your O O.W.L. in Divination."

"So, tomorrow we get out-fitted in Diagon Alley," Harry mused. He looked at the adults. "Do we get any time to shop for ourselves?"

"Of course!" Edward said. "I promised." Harry nodded his head. It was nice to know he could rely on Edward.

Harry sat in a Victorian armchair in the circular sitting room on the guest floor, brooding. He had been sitting there since dinner had broken up, some two hours before. Just sitting, while the others discussed the material on Ynunlle.

A little after 10:15, Ginny and Neville had retired, but Harry had ignored any suggestions that he follow their example. Finally, Hermione pulled Luna into her former bedroom. "What do you think is wrong with Harry?"

Luna sighed. "You saw how he was acting at Ottery St. Catchpole?"

"Yes, as if he hadn't a care in the world," Hermione replied. "You said that it was because all the pressures were off . . . Oh!"

"Exactly," Luna agreed. "The pressure is back on. I'm sure he's worried about losing someone, and remembering losing Sirius and Ron."

"Maybe we shouldn't have agreed to go, then," Hermione said thoughtfully.

"Can you really imagine Harry NOT going?" Luna demanded. "What we have to do is make certain this is successful. And, as hard as it will be, we will have to think of ourselves more than Harry."

"You mean, act to save ourselves first?" Hermione demanded in turn, horrified at the idea. Then, she thought about it for a moment. "You might be right. As hard as it would be to lose Harry, it would be harder for him to lose us."

"Exactly. If Harry gets through this, maybe his confidence will be back for good. Even though he grieved for Ron more than for Sirius, it's Sirius' death that haunts him most."

Hermione nodded, "Because he went to the Ministry, thinking to save Sirius, and Sirius only went to save Harry."

"So, we have to avoid that situation most of all. Harry mistrusts his judgement." Luna gave Hermione a twisted grin. "Too bad he knows us too well -- it would probably help if we could be damsels in distress that he could rescue."

Hermione clasped her hands together and screwed her face into a mimicry of helplessness. "Oh please, great hero, save me and love me," she cooed.

Luna giggled. "Exactly."

Hermione dropped the act. "No, he'd never believe it. Harry is far from perfect, but he's not a fool."

Luna smiled. "So, how to we get him to come to bed?"

"Direct action, don't you think?" Hermione stood and started undoing her dress robes. Luna followed suit. After hanging their clothes up, they moved out to the common area.

Harry glanced towards the slight noises, and did a double-take. Seeing that they were observed, Hermione and Luna stopped trying to creep up on him and put their arms around the other's waist. "We are going to bed," Hermione stated.

"Not to sleep, mind," Luna added, "just bed."

"Care to join us, love of our lives?" Hermione asked, licking her lips.

Harry smiled. Some offers were too good to pass up, no matter how maudlin a mood he was in.