Harry Potter and the Shadow War

Chapter 5 - Love and History

Harry and his friends spent quite some time speaking with Delenn. She seemed fascinated by everything they told her, and she, in turn, told them about her home and people and tried to answer all of their many questions. Eventually, as it was apparently getting late (although Harry had trouble evaluating the passage of time without having any sun or schedule as a reference), Delenn decided that they needed to make some sleeping arrangements.

"I do have a guest room," she said, "but it is not large enough for all of you. In any case, I do not think it appropriate for you all to share a room. I may not be very familiar with your customs, but I think I am correct in that?"

Harry's friends all turned varying shades of red as the ambassador looked at them questioningly. He felt that he, too, was not unaffected by embarrassment, although he didn't really know what he had to be embarrassed about.

"The girls can have the room," said Ron gallantly. "I'm sure Harry and I can make ourselves quite comfortable out here. That is, if we won't be disturbing you."

"Not at all. Very well." She rose and showed the girls to the guest room. It was only a few moments, however, before they heard an exclamation that sent them running.

"Ah, yes," Delenn was saying as they arrived. "I continue to forget that humans are not accustomed to our customary sleeping position."

Harry peered into the room and saw what appeared to be two medical tables, set at an angle to the floor. Harry had never been good with geometry, but he guessed the angle to be about 45 degrees. There was a triangular cushion at the top of each and a small platform at the bottom.

"This is how you sleep?" asked Hermione incredulously.

"Minbari believe that one invites death by sleeping horizontally," Delenn explained. "I can request that a human bed or two be brought in, but it would take some time."

"In the meantime," said Ginny, looking at Harry pleadingly, "would you boys mind...?"

"I spent 10 years of my life in a cupboard," shrugged Harry. "I can manage. How about you, Ron?"

After his comment about the cupboard, Ginny placed her hand on Harry's arm and looked up at him, sadness in her eyes, along with something else he couldn't define. Harry was startled. Was she really that concerned about him? He felt his throat constrict, though whether from their contact or Ginny's expression, he wasn't sure. Odd. He swallowed hard, forcing the feeling down.

Meanwhile, Ron was looking around the room speculatively.

"I'll take the floor," he said at last. Then he turned to the girls and added, "We'll be fine."

***

The five of them regrouped in the sitting area. Ron had deposited his bookbag in the bedroom, and Hermione had decided to leave her book/Portkey in there as well. She finally determined that she ask another question that had been on her mind.

"Can you tell us about this station?" she asked. "You know, its history. How long has it been here and why? Are there many others like it? Is it just some kind of way station?"

"There is much more to it than that, and there is no other like it," Delenn replied. But they were not to find out more just yet, for at that moment, there was a beeping sound, and Delenn broke off.

"Come in," she said, standing and turning towards the door. It slid away to the side, and a tall, good-looking man stepped in, wearing the same black-and-gray uniform they had seen on Mr. Garibaldi and Commander Ivanova, except that he was wearing a kind of jacket over it with a gray and silver border. His light brown hair was brushed back away from his face, and he had broad shoulders and a build that led Hermione to wonder if Ron might fill out that way some day. She caught herself quickly, hoping she wasn't too pink. She surmised that this must be Captain Sheridan.

"John," said Delenn as she walked quickly to the man, stopping just in front of him. Her face had lit up, and she was smiling almost girlishly. Hermione narrowed her eyes thoughtfully. Their hostess was in love with the captain of the station? And he appeared to have feelings for her as well. This certainly was an interesting place, in many respects.

"That ambassador certainly is a Vorlon," said the captain, sounding tired and frustrated. "I hope you don't mind me dropping in like this?"

"Of course not," said Delenn. "Please come in and meet my guests." She gestured to them each in turn.

"Captain John Sheridan, this is Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, Ginny Weasley."

"I've heard a lot about you already," commented Captain Sheridan. Hermione shook his hand mechanically; her mind was stuck on something that had previously been said.

"Excuse me, but did you say Vorlon?" she asked.

"Yes. Why?"

"It's just that - I've read about them!" she exclaimed excitedly. "Just a moment." She ran into the other room to retrieve the book that had also happened to function as their Portkey.

"This is the book I was holding when we came here," she continued as she began flipping pages almost before she stopped moving. "It's a very old lexicon of magical creatures. Now, let me see. Yes, here it is: 'Vorlon - elusive creature with a large outer shell. Speaks, but only in riddles. Level of intelligence uncertain; natural habitat unknown. Wizards and witches have reported seeing them everywhere from fallow farm fields to large cities.' That's it. The newer editions don't even mention them. I don't think anyone's seen them in centuries. That is, where, er, when we come from."

The captain was regarding Hermione and her book with a great deal of interest.

"That sounds like them, all right," he said. "We know a little more about them now, but not much. Where did you get that book?"

"From the Hogwarts school library."

"That must be some school." Captain Sheridan suddenly seemed to recollect himself and switched to another topic. "I don't really want to talk about Vorlons right now. While I'm here, though, I think I should let you know that I intend to bring a telepath here to help me interview you. Is that all right?"

"What's a telepath?" asked Ron and Ginny almost simultaneously.

"You mean, someone that can read minds?" asked Hermione about a beat later. "They exist?"

The others all turned to look at her.

"Of course they exist," Captain Sheridan replied. "They seem to have only appeared among humans in the last few generations, but they're definitely real. You're not familiar with them?"

"No," Harry said as the other three shook their heads. "We have a spell that can get into someone's mind, but you have to have direct eye contact."

"Telepaths usually need eye contact for a full scan, but not necessarily to detect surface thoughts and emotions. All I want is for her to verify that you're telling the truth about who you are. That, and..." he trailed off.

"To find out if we're nutters?" Ron supplied helpfully. The captain nodded apologetically. There was a significant pause.

"If it will help you to believe us, I'm all for it," said Ginny at last. The other three murmured agreement, some more reluctantly than others. Hermione was fully aware that the captain didn't need their assent to do this. His asking was a gesture of good faith, or a test, and either way, it seemed best to go along with it. Harry looked the most troubled. Hermione didn't blame him. The poor boy had already had Voldemort in his head; he surely wasn't going to be anxious for someone else to pry in there.

"Good," Sheridan said, seeming to relax a little. "I know it's late, Delenn, but I was wondering if you would have dinner with me? I need to unwind, and I'd enjoy your company."

"I'd be delighted," was the immediate response. She went to the far section of the suite to summon Lennier, telling him that she was leaving for a few standard hours (whatever those might be).

"I was just about to tell the children the story of Babylon 5. Could you do it for me?" she asked him.

"Of course," Lennier replied. They bowed to each other, and he watched her wistfully as she left. A horrible suspicion entered Hermione's mind.

"You're in love with her." The words were out before she thought about it, and they were not a question. She gasped at her audacity and covered her mouth, wishing she could put the words back in. The two boys were staring at her.0

"I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean to pry..." Hermione stammered.

Lennier looked at her in startlement, and then took a deep breath.

"No, it is all right," he said evenly. "You are not the first to know this. I think she may know, though she has said nothing. Nor can I. I have accepted that she is destined for another."

"Sheridan," said Ginny. This, too, was not a question. Hermione looked over at her approvingly. The girl was perceptive. Was it only boys who were impossibly thick?

"Yes," answered Lennier.

Harry and Ron had shifted their gaze to Ginny.

"How do you girls bloody do that?" said Ron.

"Yeah," echoed Harry. "Do you all get some kind of pamphlet that explains these things?"

"Of course not," said Hermione, shifting into lecture mode. "It's simply a matter of paying attention to expressions and tone of voice and reaching the appropriate conclusions. And Ron, watch your language."

"Look," he responded. "I've just been transported nearly three hundred years into the future and God knows how many million miles from everything I know. And, by the way, we don't know who sent us here or why, or whether we'll ever be able to get back! I should think that gives a certain damned license to swear!"

"Don't start, you two," interrupted Ginny. "Besides, I think there's a little more to it than Hermione's explanation. Girls are more aware of their emotions, so we find it easier to identify them in others. Boys just act on their feelings, girls prefer to think about them first. Some of us for an excessively long time."

This last bit was said with a significant look towards Hermione, who did her best not to show her discomfort. She knew that she had placed Ginny in an unenviable position. Having found her to be the only girl at Hogwarts that she could really talk to, Hermione confided in her a great deal. This meant that Ginny was forced to find a balance between respecting Hermione's confidence and protecting her brother. Hermione knew that her time was running out before blood won out. She knew she should probably take a more constructive approach towards developing her relationship with Ron - after all, it was the '90s (well, actually, it was currently the 23^rd century, but never mind that). Her two best friends would probably never guess that logical, reasonable Hermione had a large romantic streak. Was it so wrong to want him to make the first move? As many times as Ginny had told her that Ron would have to be hit over the head, Hermione just couldn't bring herself to do anything about it.

"Maybe you both should collaborate and write a book," said Harry.

"Well, you wished to know about this station." Lennier was clearly ready for the new subject, and Hermione was genuinely interested, so she left her own ruminations to listen. "More than ten years ago, humans and Minbari went to war with one another. It began due to a...misunderstanding."

"You fought a whole war based on a misunderstanding?" asked Harry in disbelief.

"I am afraid so. We nearly destroyed the entire human race. Then, just before we were to conquer Earth itself, we surrendered. Few know why, and I do not think that I am the one to tell you. Both our peoples decided that we wanted to prevent this kind of thing from ever happening in the future. The Babylon project was our last, best hope for peace. It was envisioned as a place where individuals of all races could come together on neutral ground to work out their differences peaceably. This station is called Babylon 5 because it was the fifth of these to be built. The first three were destroyed by terrorists who did not want harmony among the races. The fourth disappeared as soon as it became operational."

"It disappeared? Just like that?" asked Ron. "What happened to it?"

"Stop interrupting," Hermione said, irritated. "Let him finish the story about this station."

"I was only curious," he shot back.

"Well, just save your questions until the end." Ron receded into a sulky silence, and Hermione felt a pang. Why was she always doing that? The boy made her absolutely crazy!

Lennier seemed to be upset with this small amount of friction and waited a moment, as if to be certain they were finished. He then continued, starting with the answer to Ron's question.

"Babylon 4 has reappeared two times in the recent past. During the first, the crew was evacuated. During the second appearance, Delenn went there, along with Captain Sheridan, a ranger named Marcus Cole, and the former commander of the station, Commander Michael Sinclair. Commander Sinclair did not return. Babylon 5 is the one that has managed to survive. A jumpgate was built near it to provide access to anyone who wished to reach the station. It originally had a council representing five races: human, Minbari, Centauri, Narn, and Vorlon. The League of Non-Aligned Worlds was added as a single voice. The Narn homeworld is now occupied by the Centauri, so the Narns have no official representation.

"Because the Minbari warrior caste was opposed to the construction of this station, it was agreed that Earthforce personnel would run the day-to-day operations. It was difficult to find a station commander, as the Minbari wished to have final approval. As I mentioned before, Commander Sinclair was the first to hold the post, though few know the reason he was approved when many others were rejected. He left after one year to become Earth's ambassador to Minbar. That is when Captain Sheridan was appointed. This time, Earth did not allow Minbari approval or rejection. Many of my people still object to his selection. The warrior caste calls him 'Starkiller.' You see, he was the only commander of an Earthforce vessel to have ever destroyed one of our battle cruisers. The only one, in fact, who even survived battle with our ships.

"Unfortunately, the station's mission has failed. We have found ourselves in the middle of a great war brewing between the Shadows and the Vorlons, and we have decided to side with the Vorlons, as the Minbari did in a similar war 1,000 years ago. We have ceased to be neutral. The true fighting has not yet begun, but it will not be long."

Lennier fell silent, and it appeared that his narrative was concluded.

"So, what do you think of the captain?" asked Ginny.

"I believe that he is where he needs to be," Lennier replied. It was a rather cryptic answer, but it was all they were likely to get.

Shortly after this, Hermione realized that she was getting tired. They all agreed to try to get some sleep. She and Ginny removed as much of their clothing as they felt comfortable with and settled down on the sofas. Hermione thought that her racing mind would keep her awake, but she must have been more tired than she had realized because it was no more than a few minutes before she was asleep.