Harry Potter - Series Fan Fiction / Other Fan Fiction / Crossover Fan Fiction ❯ Fusion of Destinies ❯ Invasion From Within ( Chapter 12 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Fusion of Destinies
a Harry Potter/Metroid crossover
Chapter 12: Invasion From Within
1-18-2006
by Grey

Disclaimer: The Harry Potter series and all of its characters are the creation and property of J. K. Rowling. Samus Aran and the Metroid series are the creation and property of Nintendo, and was originally masterminded by Gunpei Yokoi (1941-1997) .

This fic is dedicated to Razor Knight and CubedCinder128, whose support gave me the confidence I needed to write this thing.

---

"We knew the game that grabbed our top slot would have to be... well, more than just a video game. To edge out all the other masterpieces on our list, it would have to be something that left an indelible mark on our memories and transcended the medium to deliver a timeless, totally immersive experience. That something is, without a doubt, Super Metroid." - Electronic Gaming Monthly #150

---

The Handu Mountain Preserve, an ingenious piece of magical engineering nestled inside the Himalayan Mountains, which serves as the world's most prestigious magical zoo. It is a deep and intricate cave system that was created back in the days when India was a part of Great Britain's colonial empire, but remained in use well after India achieved its independence from England's Muggle government, simply because of how invaluable it is. Within the mountains, large, expansive chambers were carved out, and then magic was used to perfectly simulate any enviroment desired, so that almost any type of magical species could be safely housed and allowed to flourish. And considering how Muggle enpansion continues to threaten the existence of many species, maintaining the preserve was most vital.

Not only is the Handu Mountain Preserve vital for safeguarding many endangered species of magical creatures, it also serves as an illustrious tourist attraction, drawing hundreds of witches and wizards from around the world each day. Just like places such as Diagon Alley, Hogsmeade and magical schools like Hogwarts, it has every conceivable security measure put on it to keep Muggles out, such as being Unplottable and having plenty of anti-Muggle charms put around each entry point. This makes it an ideal place for witches and wizards to gather and enjoy each others' company, all the while using to opportunity to observe some of the rarest magical creatures in existence.

But for one particular wizard, today's trip to the Handu Mountain Preserve was hardly his idea of fun. It was part of his duty as a member of the Order of the Phoenix, and he wasn't enjoying his job at all. A bit ironic, since the wizard in question was one Charlie Weasley.

Charlie Weasley trudged along alone through one of the many wide tunnels that went deep into the Himalayan Mountains. The tunnel walls and ceilings didn't look like stone, though. For every few dozen yards along the walls, there was a window made out of enchanted glass, which let passerby peer into the magically-simulated environments and the animals that lived in them. As for the ceilings of the tunnels, they were enchanted to look like the sky outside, just like in the Ministry and the Great Hall in Hogwarts. Right now, it looked like it was the afternoon, but Charlie Weasley noted that back in England, it was probably early in the morning.

And it's only been a few hours since that attack, Charlie thought to himself as he walked on. He had heard Dumbledore's first-hand account of what happened at Hogwarts a few hours before leaving, and it chilled him to the bone. He could hardly believe the totality of the OTHER threat the wizarding world was facing: deadly alien parasites from the future, being harnessed for some reason. And each time the X appeared at Hogwarts, the situation became even more dire; it was hard to imagine things getting any worse. Now that one that mimicked the Order's newest ally is somehow back. First Harry gets infected by this thing, then he gets a clone that steals Snape's secrets, and now this! he thought morbidly, staring at the ground.

But Charlie picked up his head again, feeling a burning itchiness all over his face. The special cosmetics he put on to mask his family's trademark freckles made his face burn. Along with that, he had bleached his hair to disguise himself. He hated having to do that, but there had been no Polyjuice Potion available for him and he couldn't risk being recognized, especially since his brother was with the one he was tailing.

A few dozen feet in front of him was Cornelius Fudge, flanked by several Aurors. Unfortunately, neither Tonks nor Shacklebolt had been assigned to the Minister that day, meaning someone else from the Order had to keep an eye on him. In this case, it was Charlie. Also with the Minister was his brother Percy and Lucius Malfoy, no doubt invited to accompany the Minister. Charlie wasn't sure which of the two he hated the sight of more.

After a few more seconds, Charlie then decided it was actually Fudge who infuriated him the most. Here was a time when the Minister of Magic should take responsibility and take charge, but instead he tried to pretend a problem doesn't exist and hoped it would go away, and here he was, making a routine inspection of the Handu Mountain Preserve when he should be coordinating a hunt for Voldemort! Not only that, being in denial leaves him an easy target for Death Eaters, meaning someone has to tail him and make sure they don't try something, thought Charlie, glaring at the back of Lucius Malfoy's head. Then again, we're also facing something that may make even THEM look like a bunch of perky veelas.

Charlie was so wrapped up in his thoughts, though, that he wasn't paying attention, and someone collided with him forcefully, knocking him to the ground. "Oh, I'm sorry!" he heard a little girl mutter, then she ran off. Charlie quickly got back on his feet, but when he looked ahead, he saw that Fudge and his entourage were gone. Not only that, there was a fork in the tunnel ahead.

"Oh great," muttered Charlie irritably. After a second's hesitation, he sprinted forward and ran down the tunnel at his right, praying that it was the way Fudge had gone. The tunnel led to a very wide-open area with a high ceiling, and to his right there was a huge, curved glass barrier, which could only mean the environment beyond it housed some massive animals.

After a few agonizing minutes of surveying the area, it was obvious to Charlie that he had chosen the wrong path. Great. By now, the Minister could be anywhere! he thought angrily. Some help to the Order I am. Can't even just follow someone. Good thing I was never assigned to watch over Harry this summer. He turned to go back the way he came, but someone else was walking down the tunnel, and the sight of that person rooted him to the spot.

Harry Potter was making his way into the chamber, carrying some sort of large, bulky suitcase. Charlie was well within Harry's field of vision as he walked down the tunnel, but Harry completely ignored him, not showing the slightest hint that he recognized him. What's going on? What's he doing this far away from Hogwarts? Charlie wondered as Harry stepped out into the chamber, heading directly for him yet still not seeming to acknowledge that one of his best friend's older brothers was here with him. Harry swept past Charlie without even looking at him, and as he did, Charlie noticed just how rigid and cold his features were...as if he were completely devoid of all human emotion. I don't get it, thought Charlie. What's with him? What's he doing here? And he didn't even seem to recognize me. What's going....

Realization suddenly swept over Charlie like a tidal wave. This wasn't Harry Potter...at least, not the Harry Potter he and his family knew. Harry WAS indeed safely back at Hogwarts at the moment. This was the OTHER Harry Potter, the clone being manipulated by this 'X'.

For another few seconds, Charlie remained rooted to the spot, trying to decide what to do, his previous mission forgotten. He could try and go after Harry's double himself and keep him from doing whatever he had planned, or quickly alert the rest of the Order. As he was going over his options, he saw a middle-aged couple with two twin, pre-teen daughters walk by him, a blissfully happy family from the looks of it. There's too many people here, Charlie reasoned. If these X have something planned, I have to do something NOW.

Charlie spun around and sprinted, looking around for Harry's double. He spotted him several dozen feet away, right in front of the huge glass barrier he saw just as he had entered this chamber. But as Charlie was closing the distance between them, the being known as the HP-X turned his head to face him, seeming to notice him for the first time. His brow furrowed and a small snarl formed on his lips. Charlie felt a chill run down his spine, and remembered how Snape and Dumbledore had said this thing could perform even Unforgivable Curses without a wand. He reached for his own wand just as he was within ten feet, trying to force down those feelings of fear.

But the HP-X apparently didn't want a fight just then. He threw the strange case he had been carrying against the glass barrier, then he turned and ran, disappearing behind a large group of witches. Charlie silently cursed to himself, then cautiously approached the case, wondering what was in it. As he neared it, though, an ominous humming noise suddenly came from the case, and its speed and frequency gradually picked up.

Panicking, Charlie quickly ran backwards, certain that the noise couldn't mean anything good. His instincts were dead-on. All of a sudden, a large wave of radiating, extreme heat burst forth from the case, expanding outward and instantly incinerating three wizards who had been too close, one of them a boy no older than ten. Sheer panic took hold of the rest of the crowd gathered in the chamber. They all screamed and frantically ran, desperate to get away, but Charlie merely stood rooted to the spot as the tourists rushed past him, unsure of what he should do. Then he noticed that the glass at the bottom of the barrier was giving off a dazzling, white-hot glow, and where the case had been, there was now some sort of metal sphere, about two feet in diameter.

The metal sphere then suddenly began to expand and take a different shape. Now, Charlie could see what looked like a human clad in some strange, bulky armor of red, orange and gold. It looked mechanical, with two large, globular shoulder pads, plating that had angular shapes, and what seemed like a huge cannon fused onto the right forearm. Also, where the head was, all he could see was a flowing mass of unhealthy-looking blond hair. It was then that Charlie finally realized what he was dealing with. Oh my God.... That's the SA-X!

---

The SA-X stared at the superheated glass barrier, then lifted her arm cannon and fired her ice-spazer combo. Her triple bursts of extreme cold rapidly cooled the glass, and steam and a horrible hissing noise filled the air around her. Then, she reared back her fist and threw a punch at the cooled glass.

It shattered, creating a gaping hole in the barrier about forty feet high and thirty feet wide.

Soon after SA-X made the hole, a low rumbling sound resonated through the chamber, and it steadily grew in intensity. One of the huge creatures that lived in this simulated environment was no doubt approaching to check out the source of the shattering noise.

A few seconds later, a fully-grown Hungarian Horntail lumbered up to the shattered glass barrier, leering down at the SA-X. Predictably, it shot out a volley of flame at her, but she merely took a huge leap upward to avoid it, and touched down a few feet away. She then aimed at the Horntail, and the tip of her arm cannon split apart into four equal portions.

A super missile shot out of her arm cannon, and it drilled deep into the Horntail's underbelly before it exploded. The dragon let out an ear-splitting shriek, but the SA-X ignored its cries of pain and fired another super missile, this one digging into its arm before detonating. Then she fired one at its kneecap, and the same thing happened, splattering its shimmering blood all over the chamber's floor.

Now that the Hungarian Horntail was being wounded so severely, the X now had an opportunity. The particles from Snape's immunizing potion had no doubt made their way into even the Handu Mountain Preserve's environments, but now they had a way to defeat it, and critically injuring the target was the first, crucial step. After firing a few more super missiles, she lowered her arm cannon and concentrated, and slowly, several X parasites emerged from her amrored body. With another set of commands from the one who brought them all here, the free-floating viral blobs shot forward and seeped into the Horntail's open wounds.

SA-X watched the Horntail squirm and shriek as the infection began. At that instant, however, she also heard a shrill cry from behind her. "Alright everyone, drop her!"

The air was filled with cries of "Stupefy!" and "Impedimenta!" All the hexes struck the SA-X from behind, but she could barely feel them; if it weren't for the incredibly loud, clangorous panging noises of spells impacting her armor, she'd scarcely be aware of being attacked at all.

She slowly turned on the spot, but spells continued to strike her armor. Once the SA-X turned around, she saw that fifteen of the preserve's security personnel, as well as Charlie Weasley, were all sending out hexes at her. One struck her in the face, but it did no more harm than the ones impacting her armor, and all it did was make her flinch.

Having had enough, the SA-X raised her arm cannon again and fired her beam. She took the wizards completely by surprise, and managed to freeze almost half of them solid within a couple of seconds. The SA-X didn't stop there; she fired a few missiles at the frozen wizards, and their bodies immediately shattered into hundreds of pieces. She kept firing her missiles. One struck a witch that had been too slow, and her body exploded in a shower of blood and mangled body parts which flew about everywhere.

Within less than a minute, the SA-X had mercilessly slaughtered thirteen of the wizards that had come after her. Only two witches and Charlie Weasley were still in one piece, and they were all lying on the floor, having scattered in a panic to avoid her weapon fire. She aimed for Charlie Weasley, but another simple command then rang in her head: That's Charlie Weasley. Let him go. Let him go back to the others and tell them what happened here, and you just get on with your work.

The SA-X lowered her arm cannon and turned to leave, but as she did, she noticed that an adult Chinese Fireball had walked up to the gaping hole in the glass. But then, it was immediately attacked by the Hungarian Horntail, which savagely clamped its jaws around the Fireball's neck. The part of the SA-X that wasn't being supressed by her unseen manipulator's enchantments and curses felt a twinge of satisfaction when she saw that there was a faint, yellow-green glow coming from the Horntail's eyes.

---

Lucius Malfoy continued to walk side-by-side with Cornelius Fudge as the inspection of the Handu Mountain Preserve continued. The Death Eater couldn't help but to inwardly laugh at the Minister's stupidity. It had been several months since the Dark Lord had made his comeback, and the Minister was still blissfully unaware that he had returned. Even though that meddlesome Harry Potter had miraculously escaped them and told him everything, the fool simply refused to believe that the Dark Lord could be back again. And he still doesn't suspect that I'm one of the Dark Lord's followers, Lucius thought maliciously, his lips curling into a smile. A few most charitable donations here and there, and everyone automatically assumes I'm on the straight and narrow. Like I once told Crouch, decent people are so easy to manipulate.

But Lucius felt a small pang of regret upon recalling that Barty Crouch Jr. and the fact that he hadn't survived. As he thought about this, he looked around, and noticed Percy Weasley was close by. From what I understand, he's shut himself away from his family. Doesn't want to believe the Dark Lord is back, and he's trying to stay out of the whole mess. I don't know if that makes him smarter or dumber than the rest of that pathetic lot of blood-traitors.

They stopped in front of a small glass barrier, beyond which two manticores were busily munching away at a cow's carcass. "Probably the only ones in captivity," Fudge said quietly. "It's amazing how...."

"Minister!" came a loud cry from farther ahead. Lucius turned to see a rather short and young witch, possibly an Auror judging from her particular style or robes, running toward them. "Minister, something's happening to the preserve! It's under attack!"

"WHAT!?" gasped Fudge, goggling. "Ms. Filenna, what do you mean, 'under attack'!?"

The witch shook her head. "I'm-I'm not sure. About two minutes ago, we got word that some woman in some weird armor suddenly showed up and starting smashing the glass barriers, and is doing something to all the animals! The animals are now breaking loose, trying to get out of the preserve!"

Lucius heard the Aurors accompanying the Minister shift nervously and Percy swallow hard. "Well, why hasn't anyone put a stop to it!?" demanded Fudge imperiously, but Lucius could still sense the nervousness in his voice. He was just putting on a show of toughness, as usual.

Filenna shook her head again. "They've been trying, but.... b-but nothing's working. From what I've been told, that armor repels any spell thrown at her. And she's got these weird weapons...blasts of ice and these 'rocket' things and...." She paused for a moment, taking a deep breath. "It's bad, sir. A lot of the attendees have been killed, and the rest are all panicky and trampling over each other, and...."

Lucius tuned out the panicky Auror, trying to make sense of the situation. Could this be a new ploy of the Dark Lord's? he wondered, but he instantly dismissed it. If he had made any plans involving the Handu Mountain Preserve, he would have been told about it, and Voldemort had mentioned nothing of the sort. But if it wasn't his doing, then what was going on?

A sudden tremor snapped Lucius to attention and made everyone else present let out a startled gasp. At first, Lucius thought it was some sort of earthquake, but then there was another tremor, and Lucius was able to determine that the source of it seemed to be coming from ABOVE them, not below.

And then, about twenty feet down the tunnel ahead, something came crashing down through the ceiling of the tunnel. It was as if a huge hole had magically appeared in what looked like the cloudy, afternoon sky and large bits of rock were raining down. The Aurors drew their wands, and Lucius, more than a little apprehensive, did the same. They all peered down the tunnel, but the cloud of dirt and debris that had been kicked up made it hard to see. But a moment later, Lucius leard a strange buzzing noise, and saw the fiant outline of what looked like a man...but a man hovering a few feet above the ground.

The Auror named Finella flicked her wand, and suddenly a light breeze kicked up and blew away the dusty cloud. Lucius couldn't keep himself from letting out a startled gasp once it was revealed who it was. It was Harry Potter, only now, his entire body from the neck down was covered in some ugly, blueish-black, form-fitting armored sheath, and he had sprouted gigantic dragonfly-like wings. "What's Potter doing...." he began, but his voice trailed off when he remembered what Snape had revealed to the Death Eaters recently. That's right! Snape said that someone brought some strange creature from the future and was using it to attack Hogwarts for some reason! And supposedly, they had made a copy of Potter!

"Oh my God, isn't t-that...H-H-Harry P-Potter?" spluttered Finella.

"Harry Potter! W-what is the m-meaning of t-t-this!?" the Minister managed to get out. But Harry ignored the Minister and his group of Aurors, looking past them as if they weren't even there. Then, suddenly, he snapped his fingers, and every glass barrier in that tunnel shattered to pieces, filling the entire tunnel with a terrible crashing noise. Lucius instinctively threw his arm across his face to shield himself from the flying glass shards, but when he peered over his arm after a few seconds, he saw the clone of Harry Potter had raised both his arms. Not only that, every shard of glass from the broken barriers was now being magically levitated.

HP-X waved his hands, and then the levitated glass shards began flying around at dangerous speeds. All the wtiches and wizards present screamed, ducked and covered their heads. Lucius got down as well, but continued to watch what was happening. He noticed that the shards weren't zipping around haphazardly and they weren't being directed at them. They were being shot into the exposed environments. Ear-splitting, inhuman shrieks from within them confirmed what Lucius had just deduced; just like the armored woman Finella had mentioned, this HP-X was after the animals. Snape said that these creatures take over and copy anything they infect. That must be their reason for coming here. But I thought he said this potion he had that Muggle from the future disperse around the world would keep them from infecting anything....

Fudge's panicky, shrill voice snapped Lucius back to attention when the Minister of Magic barked at the Aurors. "Don't j-just lie there...do s-something! S-Stop him!" he ordered, his voice shaking. Lucius looked at HP-X again, and saw yellow-green blobs ooze out of his armored body and fly into the exposed environments. Some hovered past him, coming dangerously close to touching him. He then saw bright, powerful Stunners speed toward HP-X, which made him flinch and drop to the ground. But in an instant, the HP-X counterattacked by sending out multiple Stunners all at once, which all found their mark and knocked every Auror present unconscious.

One thing was very clear to Lucius: this copy of Harry Potter, along with the alien race it belonged to, were a threat that couldn't be ignored. Voldemort had expressed hope that whoever was manipulating them would do away with Dumbledore and his Order for them, but now, it was obvious that the Order was no longer the only target. These things could mean trouble for everyone and everything; the Death Eaters, his wife and son, everyone.

The HP-X walked closer to them, his right arm crossing his chest and seeming to give off an opaque mist. Fudge and Percy were staring fearfully at him, seeming to be rooted to the spot. "P-Potter, w-why, what are y-you...." stammered Fudge, but HP-X then slashed through the air with his right arm. Lucius ducked aside just as a blast of frigid air swept through part of the tunnel. When the mist cleared, he could see that Fudge and Percy had been coated in a thin layer of ice and stood as still as statues, and all of the unconscious Aurors were covered in ice as well.

Lucius couldn't believe his eyes. Wandless magic, sending out multiple hexes at once, a superpowered version of the Glacius spell...these were feats that could rival even Lord Voldemort's capabilities. This thing's a genuine threat...to everyone. I must kill him here and now, Lucius thought resolutely. He aimed his wand and yelled "Avada Kedavra!"

But the HP-X couldn't be bested that easily. He jumped up just as the green beam of light would've struck him, then he began flying toward Lucius. Before the Death Eater could think of another spell to use, the HP-X slashed across Lucius's torso with his talons, making deep gouges in his chest. "Wha...GYAAHH!!!" he screamed as his other hand instinctively covered his chest. Looking down, he saw blood trickling down through his fingers. Out of desperation, he aimed at his wounds and muttered an incantation, using a charm that would make the lacerations slowly seal themselves. But just as he finished the incantation, the HP-X smashed into his face with a flying kick, knocking him out cold.

---

"This way! Hurry!" shouted Charlie Weasley as he ran, a large group of people following him. In one arm, he was carrying a young girl who had gotten spearated from her parents, and he waved his free hand forward, signalling for everyone to keep moving. "One of the exits should be up ahead!" He tried to sound confident in order to assauge everyone's anxieties, but in actuality he was as frightened as the rest of them, maybe more so. That close call with the SA-X had truly shaken him. The horrifying way her weapons easily slaughtered all those people, the yellow-green glow of her eyes, the icily beautiful yet inhuman face...in many ways, she was far more terrifying than even Voldemort.

But why did she just let me go? he silently wondered, but an ear-piercing wail for a baby girl some distance behind him interrupted his thoughts. He could also hear terrified murmurs from some of the adults. Charlie let out a sigh of frustration, feeling rage bubble up inside him. Those...things were causing so much destruction, and no one could stop them. But if he had tried going after the SA-X, he knew she definitely would've finished him off, so he decided the best thing he could hope to do was lead as many people as he could out of the preserve. He felt like a coward for not deciding to fight, but he forced himself to look at the situation logically.

Thankfully, he had come to the Handu Mountain Preserve a few times over the years in his line of work, and was familiar with the layout. He was confident that he could at least lead these people to safety, which was important, since Apparating and Disapparating within the preserve was impossible, just like at Hogwarts.

Eventually, they reached a corner, and Charlie carefully set the girl down and peered around it. He had to be cautious, in case anything was waiting to ambush them. Within the last few minutes, he had already come across a number of animals that had been taken over by those alien parasites. Fortunately, it wasn't anything as dangerous as manticores or chimeras. A few kappas, a hippogriph...nothing that couldn't easily be struck down by a few Stunners cast by himself and some other able wizards with him, and then the use of Incendio by himself wiped out the exposed X.

Around the bend, though, he did see a row of clay sculptures modeled after hippogriphs, and Charlie knew that meant one of the exits was right beyond them. "Alright everyone, we're almost there!" he cried out reassuringly. "Let's move, but careful now."

The group rounded the corner and rushed past the row of clay statues. About a hundred feet beyond that, there was a large set of metal double doors. Charlie flicked his wand, and they immediately snapped open, striking the walls with a thunderous thud. Charlie felt a rush of misty air rush past all of them; obviously, weathers conditions outside weren't exactly ideal. But thankfully, they wouldn't have to go far before they could Disapparate.

The group ran through a short stretch of rocky, eerily dark caves, but soon, they could see a faint sliver of daylight. Within moments, they were finally outside the mountain, where they could easily Disapparate. Charlie looked at the little girl still held in his arm, who was still eerily quiet. What am I supposed to do with her? he wondered. She got separated from her family...they might even be....

Before he could finish that horrific thought, however, he felt a hand gently clamp his shoulder. Charlie let out a yelp of surprise, a jolt of fear running through him. But then he heard a voice that instantly calmed him.

"Oh Charlie, we were so worried about you! When we heard what was going on here, we feared the worst!" It was Nymphadora Tonks.

Charlie turned around, and saw the violet-haired Metamorphmagus with the heart-shaped face staring at him, her expression a mixture of relief and worry. Also, right next to her was Kingsley Shacklebolt. "Tonks, Shacklebolt...am I ever glad to see you two," said Charlie.

"And we're glad to see you made it out alive," said Shacklebolt. "Now, please tell us, just how bad is it?"

"Yeah, we just received word at the Ministry about the attack here," chimed in Tonks. "But the details were sketchy. Is there anything else you can tell us?"

Charlie looked down at the girl he was still holding, reluctant to mention anything too specific about their activities in the Order of the Phoenix in front of her. But before he could think of what to say, a huge tremor violently shook the mountain around them, almost making the three of them lose their footing. "Oh, NOW what!?" barked Charlie.

As soon as he said that, there was what sounded like a huge explosion up above them. The three Order members backed away from the cave entrance to look up the mountain ahead, and saw that, about a hundred feet up the mountain, a huge plume of dusty smoke was rising from a single spot, and small rocks were rolling down from that spot as well.

And the three all gasped when the smoke cleared, and the SA-X and HP-X stepped out of the newly-formed hole. But they weren't the only ones to emerge from that hole....

An impossibly huge amount of free-floating X parasites - numbering in the thousands - poured out of the hole in the mountain, making Charlie think of a giant cauldron that had sprung a leak, oozing out huge amounts of a noxious, sallow potion. The three of them stood there, transfixed, their insides frozen with terror.

But fortunately, the enemy seemed to have no interest in them, for the SA-X and HP-X ignored them completely. The HP-X retracted his wings and jumped onto the SA-X's back, just like he did at Hogwarts. And just like before, the SA-X began running, sprinting down the mountain and occassionally making a huge leap. In addition, the free-floating X slowly followed them.

Once the SA-X reached more level ground, her speed booster ability kicked in again, and she attained a velocity of over 200 miles per hour. Also, the HP-X reached out behind him, lashing out with a spell that affected all the new X parasites that had just been created. The speed that the SA-X had reached was now granted to them, and they sped forward as if being magically tugged along by the HP-X.

And then, the SA-X reached the desired spot and ducked down, storing up power. A second later, her body rocketed upwards, taking the HP-X and all the new X parasites along with her.

---

Samus Aran, disguised in robes again, leaned against a large rock and peered at the sunlight that was slowly filtering through the trees. Despite the unquestionable beauty and sereneness of the forest early in the morning, the sight still seemed odd to her. While she had amnesia, the forest seemed alien and unnatural to her, and now she knew why. She had grown up on a planet were most of the surface was a barren, rocky, arid expanse; what plant life there was on Zebes was mostly underground in the caverns of Brinstar, which provided luminescent lighting.

For a moment, Samus thought about how Zebes had been destroyed, and that she could never return to the planet she grew up on. But she didn't dwell on it very long. Ever since leaving the nest, the entire galaxy had become her home, and she went wherever she wanted, wherever the bounties were. Besides, even if Zebes hadn't exploded, Samus realized she wouldn't want to go back anyway. There were too many painful memories that would be evoked, not the least of which was the Hatchling's death. Besides, there's a chance I won't even get back to my own time, Samus realized. And right now, Zebes is still in one piece, the Galactic Federation doesn't exist yet, the Chozo haven't withdrawn from the universe....

Samus got off the rock and slowly began walking into the forest, thinking about what it would be like if Dumbledore couldn't figure out how to get her back to her own time. Besides, am I really needed in my time anymore? The Space Pirates have been severely crippled, the GF is thriving again, and once I finally wipe out the X here, that'll be the last of them.

It was then that she remembered how both Adam and the Order still hadn't found where the X were being hidden, and her quiet confusion was replaced by frustration. She had been confident Dumbledore's plan would work after hearing about it, but now, it looked like they were back to square one. At the very least, however, they had a means of finding out where and when the X came out of hiding. After taking a few hours to rest, Samus had sat in front of that magical projection for quite a while, determined to be ready whenever the X showed up somewhere. But unfortunately, there had been no sign of them emerging, and McGonagall demanded that she leave that to someone else for a while and take a break. After much arguing, Samus gave in, and decided to take a walk to clear her head. But even after a couple of hours, she still felt anxious and edgy. She suddenly had the urge to unleash her weapons and blow up everything in sight in an attempt to vent her aggression, but she knew the centaurs wouldn't look too kindly on that. And considering how they're still watching over the Etecoons and Dachoras for me, that wouldn't be a good way to repay them.

And as if they had sensed her thoughts, the three Etecoons suddenly dropped down from a nearby treetop, making their usual cheery noises. And a second later, the large Dachora and its tiny offspring came sprinting through the trees toward Samus. Samus couldn't help but to smile as her alien companions circled around her.

But suddenly, the large Dachora's head propped up, rigidly staring to the side with a cold look in its glassy, obsidian eyes. The three Etecoons started acting strangely too, sniffing at the air curiously. Clearly, her companions had detected something nearby. Samus glanced around wildly with her arm cannon raised, but couldn't see anything, not that that mattered; she knew of plenty of creatures that could camouflage themselves. "What is it? The X?" she asked them, even though she knew they couldn't answer. Part of her dreaded it was the X again, but part of her was also itching for action.

"Hey, don't shoot! It's us!" came the panicky voice of a young woman, one that Samus recognized instantly.

"Hermione," breathed Samus wearily as she lowered her arm cannon. She looked around again, but couldn't see any trace of her. "Exactly where are you?"

"Right here," came Hermione's voice again, and out the corner of her eye she saw Hermione throw off Harry's Invisibility Cloak, and Ron was right beside her, holding his broomstick. "We thought you might be in here. We saw your bootprints leading into the forest."

"What are you doing out here?" asked Samus.

"Oh, me and Harry...we wanted to do some Quidditch practice this morning, just by ourselves," spoke up Ron.

"And I wanted to get some fresh air while catching up on some reading. These days, the castle seeems a bit claustrophobic," said Hermione.

Samus could understand why the castle wouldn't exactly feel like a safe haven anymore, seeing as how the HP-X was able to move around and pop up anywhere inside. Still, the interior of the castle was relatively safer than the outside grounds, and she didn't like the thought of Harry's friends putting themselves in such a vulnerable position. "It's not really a good idea to be outside Hogwarts right now, considering what's going on," said Samus.

"Well, that's what the Invisibility Cloak was for. I was using it while Harry and Ron practiced, and we sort of needed it to get out unnoticed," said Hermione, but Samus could tell that she still realized it wasn't a good idea.

Samus frowned. "You do realize that there are plenty of creatures that the X can mimic that wouldn't be fooled by that cloak, right?" she asked. "And wait a minute, didn't you say Harry was with you? Where is he?"

"Up here," came a voice from high above. Samus looked up, and was immediately greeted by the sight of Harry rapidly descending from a nearby treetop. But he wasn't flying on his Firebolt. He was only holding it. Rather, he was jumping down from the treetops, and touched down gracefully a few feet from Samus.

Samus stared at him for a moment, noticing that he wasn't wearing his Quidditch uniform like he did yesterday. Instead, he was wearing a thick, red woolen sweater and a pair of jeans. However, he was wearing the gloves and boots he used while playing Quidditch. For a second, Samus got the feeling that he was trying to dress himself for battle, but quickly dismissed the notion. "I see you're getting a handle on your jumping ability," she said at last, not able to think of anything else to say. She tried to keep her tone flat and neutral. She still hadn't decided whether Harry having these new abilities was a good thing, or the precursor to something detrimental for him.

Harry flashed a small smile. "I'm trying to. If - no, when - our other halves come after us again, I want to be ready. Next time, I want to make sure they don't get away." There was a hardness, a palpable strength and sense of determination in Harry's tone, but it frightened Samus rather than making her proud of him. And Harry's reply reminded her of how he and his friends had thrown themselves into her fight with the SA-X and HP-X.

"Harry, I think we need to talk about that. You really shouldn't have tried to take on the HP-X the way you did. It's obvious he's much more powerful than you."

"I didn't care. I just couldn't let you take him on alone," replied Harry quickly.

"But I...." Samus began, but Hermione's voice cut her off.

"This is sounding like the argument we had with Harry last night," said Hermione. "He didn't want US going out with him to fight either, but we were adamant about it." Samus looked behind her, seeing that Hermione was holding one of the Etecoons and hugging it, clearly enamored by the creature. It was obvious that she found great delight in interacting with a genuine alien, unlike Ron, who was nervously staring down the adult Dachora, which had brought its beak up to the tip of Ron's nose.

"Well, I guess it was fortunate that you were," admitted Samus. "From what you told me, only your combined efforts let you gain an edge over the HP-X."

"Exactly," spoke up Harry again. "And think of what we can do if we go after the X together."

Samus whirled around to face Harry again. The slightest sense of worry she had felt moments before was replaced by sheer indignation. "Harry, NO! I told you already, the X are too much for you to handle. I thought you would've realized that by now."

"Samus, listen to me," Harry said sharply. "What we're dealing with here is something that can destroy the world if it goes out of control. I just can't sit back and do nothing, not while I know I have the power to make a difference, especially now." As if to emphasize his point, Harry bounded over Samus and landed near his friends. "And more importantly, it's something I want to do with you. I NEED to do it."

Confusion mingled with Samus's frustration toward her young friend. "What do you mean by that?"

Harry took a deep breath, then said, "It's just that after what happened with Voldemort...I'm just sick and tired of how people always come after me, and being expected to stand aside and let others handle things for me. I'm not a kid anymore, and...and it just would feel better to go after what's threatening us instead of just sitting around on my arse."

Samus felt herself empathizing with Harry. She understood the need and the compulsion to take matters into one's own hands. However, she still cared for Harry very much, and wouldn't tolerate seeing him put his life in jeopardy. But before she could say anything in response, Harry went on. "And more importantly, I want to do this with you for another reason."

"What reason?" asked Samus querulously.

"I don't want you to go through this sort of thing again by yourself," Harry said, his voice compassionate.

The sudden shift in Harry's tone of voice, from defiant to kindly, startled Samus, making her eyes widen in surprise. "What do you mean by that?"

"It's just that I...." Harry paused for a moment, obvious trying to find the right words. "Samus, we're a lot alike, you know that. We both know what it's like to be different from everyone else, to feel like you don't fit in. But...but I've had friends to help me through that, to help me with all the problems I've faced, and...and I don't like the thought of you having gone through all those battles by yourself. I-I just would like you to not have to do things alone this one time."

Samus was truly touched by Harry's explanation. Aside from Adam Malkovich, no other human had truly tried to understand her, to empathize with her, and show such a sincere willingness to fight alongside her and share her burden.

But then she remembered that Adam Malkovich had paid the ultimate price for fighting alonside her, and now he was nothing more than a preserved memory in a ship's computer. Samus shook her head violently, recalling all the guilt and anguish she had felt after her friend's selfless sacrifice. "Harry, I appreciate the sentiment, but I can't easily forget what happened to the last person who wanted to fight with me. I utterly failed him, and I can't bear the thought of failing you like that."

"But Samus, you just may need his help," said Hermione, who was still cradling the Etecoon. "There's no telling how many X there are now, and he's the only one besides you with Metroid DNA." Her voice sounded timid, as if she didn't truly believe what she was saying. She was worried about Harry as well, but she was obviously also forcing herself to look at the situation logically, as she always did.

Samus looked at Hermione, then back Harry, unsure of what to say next. She had to admit that Hermione had a point, but she still didn't like the idea of Harry heading into a warzone.

However, a sharp, urgent voice cut through the forest, interrupting the awkward conversation. "Samus! I finally found you! You must come with me to Dumbledore's office at once!"

Samus swiveled around to see Professor McGonagall a few feet behind her, hovering on a broom. "What's going on?" asked Samus, but from the seriousness of McGonagall's tone, she had a bad feeling she already knew what it was.

McGonagall confirmed her suspicions. "I think you already know. I'm afraid they've struck at last." Then she turned to her three students. "And you three, what are you thinking, wandering around in the Forbidden Forest after all that's been going on!? I should give you all detention and deduct ten house points for each of you, but right now I've got more important things to worry about! Get back to the castle on the double!"

Samus looked back at Harry, who looked ready to insist that he go to Dumbledore's office as well. Part of her wanted to let him, believing that he still had a right to at least hear what was going on, but she knew that, at the moment, it probably wasn't a good idea. Besides, she could just tell Harry everything later. "Harry, I'll talk to you later. Just go back to your common room for now," said Samus before he had the chance. Hoping that that settled the matter, Samus turned and ran after McGonagall, careful not to let the speed booster kick in. Considering all the rumors that had been flying around after the night Harry was attacked, having any of them see their Muggle handywoman run at over 200 miles per hour would raise more awkward questions. And it's a good thing that Dumbledore can alter memories, otherwise those two students would've spilled everything about Harry's double, she silently acknowledged.

After a short trek through the castle, Samus and McGonagall finally arrived in Dumbledore's office. McGonagall had been silent the whole time until they arrived, which made Samus uneasy. It's not just because she's afraid someone's in earshot. Something really bad has happened, she realized.

Dumbledore was standing behind his desk, but his face wasn't the same kindly and calm one that Samus had come to associate him with. Now, there was nothing but dread etched in those features. "Samus, thank you for coming so quickly," he said. "I'm afraid I have bad news. It seems our unseen enemy has begun using the X against wizardkind."

It was exactly as Samus had feared. "W-What's happened?" she forced herself to ask.

Dumbledore sighed deeply, then said, "The Handu Mountain Preserve in the Himilayan Mountains was attacked by the HP-X and SA-X. It's a magical zoo where several endangered species are bred in captivity and allowed to flourish. From what our spies in the Ministry have just told me, ALL of the animals there were infected, then taken away."

"It was only about an hour ago that I noticed the satellites had spotted more X. When I saw where they were, I feared the worst, especially since I knew Charlie Weasley was there at the time," said McGonagall. "We tried to marshal every available member, but...the X acted too swiftly. They finished their little campaign in only half an hour."

Samus listened to their account of what had transpired, her insides feeling numb. It had finally happened: the X were being unleashed, and now, they had sampled every known species of magical animal and increased their forces exponentially. "W-What about human casualties? How many?" she asked nervously.

McGonagall looked at the floor. "It's hard to say, but Tonks said the count is at least over seventy, and many more are missing," she said morosely. "Some were obviously killed by your counterpart. Frozen, then shattered by explosives," she added, though a second later it was obvious she regretted going on like that.

"It was a scene of absolute horror, according to Charlie Weasley," spoke up Dumbledore. "HP-X and SA-X suddenly came in, began breaking through the glass windows, and attacking the animals. Just about anyone who was in their way was severely injured or killed. The Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge, was almost frozen to death, but thankfully it looks like he'll recover."

"He wouldn't have been a great loss," spat McGonagall acidly. "But speaking of the victims, I think we can now finally rule out You-Know-Who."

"Voldemort, you mean? Why can we rule him out?" asked Samus.

"Because one of his followers was with the Minister at the time. Lucius Malfoy," explained McGonagall. "He was almost killed. From the looks of it, only a healing charm he cast right before being knocked out kept him from bleeding to death. Surely, if You-Know-Who had planned this attack, he would've told Malfoy to stay away."

"Not necessarily," said Dumbledore. "From what Harry told us, Voldemort harbors some lasting resentment toward many of his old followers for not trying hard enough to find him while he was powerless. But I see your point, Minerva. I find it hard to believe even Voldemort would allow Malfoy to be placed in harm's way like that."

Samus didn't know what to make of their assessment. Her mind wasn't working right anyway. This was all too familiar to her. It reminded her of how the X had overrun the B.S.L in the first place, killing off all the crewmembers and infecting all the alien species in the breeding sectors, and it also reminded her of how the space colony Ceres was attacked and how all the scientists there were slaughtered. More people are dead now, killed by MY enemies. Because I wasn't there to do something about it! Instead of staying and watching that projection, I was out taking a walk while people were getting slaughtered! she thought angrily, her face contorting in rage.

"Samus, I share your frustration. This is indeed a terrible day," said Dumbledore empathetically. Samus appreciated the sentiment, especially since she figured there must have been times he had been powerless to stop a massacre by Voldemort's forces.

"But what was the purpose of this?" asked McGonagall. "I can understand why our unseen enemy would want to build up his forces and sample all those creatures, but why risk exposing himself like this?"

"There's no risk," said Samus flatly. "We're the only ones who truly know what's going on, and whoever's responsible knows we probably still won't go to your Ministry. And this was also a means of spreading terror, and it was a personal attack on us, meant to frustrate us."

"What do you mean by that?" asked Dumbledore.

"This was a way of saying 'Ha! I can attack any place on Earth I want, cause as much death and destruction as I want, and you can't stop me!'" spat Samus dejectedly as she walked over to a wall. For a moment, she simply leaned against it, but then, she reared back her fist and punched the wall in frustration. Her armored fist slammed right though it, making a small hole and deep cracks branched out from it.

"Samus, get a hold of yourself!" snapped McGonagall. "This is no time to give in to despair! As you've said yourself many times, you're the only one who can truly help us!"

"Minerva is right, you must not take this so personally. This is what your enemy would have wanted. You must not lose your composure," said Dumbledore calmly.

"Easy for you to say," spat Samus. "The X could easily strike again at any time, and we still don't know where they are. Let me guess, once they left that preserve, they disappeared again?"

"Yes, the satellites lost track of them soon after that," said McGonagall.

"How could so many X parasites vanish so quickly? How could they hide all of them so completely before making their way back to their home base?" demanded Samus impatiently.

"I-I don't know," said Dumbledore. "All I know is that, from what Charlie Weasley told us, the SA-X ran off at an extreme speed, and somehow, that speed was transferred to all the free-floating parasites. Then, SA-X suddenly shot up into the sky, and all the parasites followed her. And it was around that time when the enchanted satellites no longer picked up the X."

"The spinespark maneuver," stated Samus blandly. "A little trick with the speed booster that lets me propel myself in any direction. You said you also saw her use that to escape from Hogwarts grounds, didn't you? But why would she use it to launch herself straight up into the...."

Her voice trailed off as a sudden revelation came to her, making her feel a mixture of self-loathing and hope. Self-loathing because she felt she should've realized sooner, but hope because she might have just solved the mystery of the X's location. Samus whirled around to face the professors again. "Dumbledore, McGonagall, I think I've finally figured it out."

"Figured...what out?" asked McGonagall with a tone of uncertainty.

"Why those satellites you magicked aren't spotting where the X are," said Samus triumphantly. "Dumbledore, you didn't screw up. Your plan worked perfectly."

"What do you mean?" asked Dumbledore. "The satellites only pick them up whenever they come out of hiding. They should spot them anywhere on Earth."

"EXACTLY!" cried Samus. "Which means that their hiding place isn't on Earth at all!"

A dumbfounded silence on McGonagall and Dumbledore's part lingered for a few seconds, but eventually, McGonagall broke it timidly. "Then... then if they're not on Earth, where are they?" Samus didn't say anything in response, but slowly turned her gaze toward the ceiling. "Oh...oh good heavens," gasped McGonagall, clutching a hand over her heart.

"Samus, you're saying the X are hiding somewhere in space?" asked Dumbledore delicately.

"It's the only possible explanation," said Samus. "The satellites only picked them up when the HP-X showed up here and when he and my double attacked that zoo. And both times, SA-X used the spinespark to escape, and then we couldn't detect them anymore. My guess is they had some sort of spacecraft waiting for them high up in the atmosphere, and the SA-X used the shinespark to get to it."

"But-but why go through all the trouble of hiding the X in space?" asked McGonagall. "It certainly would make it hard for whoever's behind it. I mean, I don't think any witch or wizard is skilled enough to Apparate off the planet, and...and no one's ever made a Portkey to trasport people anywhere off of Earth."

Samus looked straight at Dumbledore. "Because he or she knew that you'd be clever enough to find a way to find them anywhere on Earth if you ever got wind of what was going on. And I bet he or she might've had the same worries about Voldemort. I have to admit, whoever's behind this is pretty damn cautious and pretty damn sneaky," she finished, shaking her head.

"Then...how do we find them now, now that we know they're in space?" asked Dumbledore simply.

"That's easy. I'm taking my ship and doing another search," said Samus matter-of-factly.

"But Samus, you've been sending your ship up for days, and it hasn't found anything!" cried McGonagall.

"That's because it was scanning EARTH'S surface," snapped Samus. "Now that we know for sure that they're not on Earth, a thorough search might just reveal something. My guess is that wherever they are, they're not too far away. Possibly on the moon or something."

"And once you find them, what do we do?" asked McGonagall nervously.

Samus eyed McGonagall sharply, who seemed to wither under her her gaze. "No, it's not a case of what 'we' are going to do. It's what I'M going to do. I'm going to take this fight to the X and wipe them out, once and for all."

McGonagall looked thunderstruck and horrified. "S-Samus, you mean to tell me that you intend to march into who-knows-what and face an entire legion of hostile extraterrestrials ALL BY YOURSELF!?" she exclaimed disbelievingly.

Samus sighed, and simply said, "It won't be the first time."

"I can't let you do that!" cried McGonagall incredulously. "It's utter foolishness! I won't allow it!"

"I agree with Minerva, Samus," said Dumbledore in a steely voice. "There's no telling what you'll encounter once you find the X's hiding place. As capable a warrior as you are, it would be most unwise to face this sort of danger on your own."

Samus looked from one professor to the other, and found herself feeling the same way toward them that she did about Harry. Upon first arriving at Hogwarts, these two were the ones who had treated her the most kindly (though McGonagall had remained suspicious of her for a while) and tried their best to make her feel accepted. In many ways, they reminded her of the Chozo elders who had raised her. And though she didn't feel she had the same connection with them that she did with Harry, she found the thought of Dumbledore and McGonagall putting their lives on the line for her was just as unacceptable. "I can't let you do that," she said at length. "I can't fight with people alongside me. I-I can't deal with the pressure, the fear that I'll fail the two of you. I've had to live with too many failures already." She paused for a moment, but spoke up again when she saw McGonagall open her mouth to object. "Besides, you two don't have Metroid DNA, and Snape's potion is now worthless. One mistake and you'll end up like those animals at that preserve."

"Then we'll have Madam Pomfrey make us the same potion she used on Harry!" barked McGonagall defiantly. "I'll gladly put up with having alien genes put in me if it means I can help you get rid of these X!"

"We don't have time!" cried Samus. "It'll take your physician an hour to prepare that solution, and a lot can happen in that time. They already attacked that preserve, which I'm guessing was a significant place in your society, right? Who knows what'll come next!? For all we know, an entire city could be their next target! Or maybe this school will be attacked next! The time for planning and strategizing and discussion is OVER! I need to take the fight to them right now! First rule of war: don't wait for the enemy to come to you, you come to the enemy...and you strike to kill!"

Samus eyed the professors again. "I've made my decision. I'm going to find them. But if it truly looks like things will be too rough, I'll pull back and come for help. So go ahead and have Pomfrey prepare that potion for you two," she forced herself to say, hoping to placate their anxieties. She really had no intention of retreating and bringing reinforcements unless it was absolutely necessary, but she was willing to put on a show to get them to go along. "In the meantime, I'm going to begin my search. Besides, if the X do attack Hogwarts, I think it'd be better if you stay here to defend it, especially you Dumbledore."

McGonagall looked like she was ready to argue again, but Dumbledore placed a hand on her shoulder. "There is some logic to her argument, Minerva," he admitted. "It's true that we've probably run out of time, and we must take action immediately. Moreover, we MUST discover the X's exact location, and it would be useful for Samus to at least find out exactly what we're up against." McGonagall looked as aghast as if Gryffindor had just come in last place for both Quidditch and in amount of house points that year. As for Dumbledore, he merely stared back at Samus, his eyes full of sorrow. "Go ahead, Samus. We couldn't have stopped you, anyway."

"Thank you, Dumbledore," said Samus. "I'll get to the bottom of this, I promise you."

---

Despite Dumbledore's level-headed analysis of the situation, McGonagall continued to protest. Her voice was so loud, it could be heard even through the thick doors of Dumbledore's office. Of course, no one was right outside his office to hear it at the time. At least, it didn't LOOK like anyone was there....

But looks can be deceiving. There really was someone there. THREE people, in fact, all huddled together underneath an Invisibility Cloak....

Harry winced as McGonagall's sharp, biting voice assaulted his eardrum, and he pulled out the Extendable Ear that he had been using. Ron and Hermione did the same. "She can be just like my mum," muttered Ron dejectedly.

"Well, she has reason to be angry. I agree with her. I think Samus should wait until Pomfrey can prepare more of that potion for McGonagall," said Hermione.

"Good thing there's ANOTHER wizard that already has Metroid DNA," Harry stated proudly. "C'mon, let's get out of here," said Harry quickly as he stood up. The three of them carefully descended the staircase, and soon, they were back in the corridors of Hogwarts. Seeing that the coast was clear, Harry threw off the Invisibility Cloak. "So that's it. These X were hidden somewhere in space all this time, and now Samus is going to find them."

"But Dumbledore and McGonagall are right! Samus might not be able to do this on her own!" cried Hermione. "Sure, from what you've told us, she's handled them before, and these Space Pirates and those Metroids and the Ing.... But she should still have some backup, especially since she's dealing with an extremely powerful witch or wizard as well as the X!"

"And she's getting it, whether she likes it or not," said Harry firmly. "I'm going with her."

"And just how do you plan to do that, mate? Your Firebolt won't get you off Earth," said Ron, holding up Harry's broomstick to emphasize his point. "And there's no way Samus'll let you hitch a ride this time."

"It's going to take some convincing, but I'm sure I'll be able to get a ride of that ship of hers," replied Harry. He then remembered how thrilling it was to go into outer space, and felt more than a little excited to be going into space again, despite the dangers that awaited him.

"But you heard Samus. If she won't even let DUMBLEDORE help her out, there's no way she'll let you. Especially since she's almost come to think of you as a little brother, and maybe even a son," said Hermione.

Harry looked over to Hermione. "You really think that's it?" he asked her.

Hermione nodded. "It's pretty obvious," she said blankly. "And it's obvious she's now as close to you as Sirius is."

She reads people like she reads books, Harry thought. Out loud, he said, "You're right about her. So it's a good thing that it's not HER I have to convince."

"Hold on," said Ron. "If it's not her you need to persuade, then who...." His voice trailed off as he obviously realized what Harry was talking about. "Oh, I get it."

"And I suppose there's no convincing you to let us tag along?" asked Hermione hopefully.

Harry turned and looked back at his best friends. He desperately wanted their help and their company as he thrust himself into yet another dangerous adventure, but he knew that because they didn't have Metroid DNA spliced into their genomes, they would have no hope of survival against the X. And yet, as much as he wanted their help, Harry suddenly found himself understanding why Samus wanted to do this by herself. He didn't want Ron and Hermione putting their lives at risk any more than Samus wanted him to be in the line of fire. "'Fraid not," he finally said. "This is something only Samus and I can do."

Hermione and Ron didn't say anything in response to that. They merely stepped forward and hugged him tightly, bidding him farewell. "Good luck, mate," he heard Ron say.

"Just make it back in one piece, Harry," came Hermione's anguished voice.

---

Samus ran out to where Hagrid's hut was. She would have liked to use the speed booster to get their quicker, but she had to run at a normal speed so that Dumbledore could keep up with her. When she reached the hut, she had to wait about a minute before Dumbledore reached it as well. She was amazed that a human of his age could still run so briskly. "Go on," she said to Dumbledore impatiently. The headmaster simply nodded, then flicked his wand at the area just outside Hagrid's hut. Almost immediately, her ship came into view, having had its Disillusionment Charm was lifted from the craft. "Good thing you can do that to an entire ship. My stealth field was damaged beyond repair after going through that singularity."

"I take it you will be leaving now?" asked Dumbledore kindly.

"Yes," said Samus flatly as she stepped closer to her ship. But halfway toward it, she stopped and looked around anxiously.

"What is it, Samus?" asked Dumbledore, suddenly looking a little anxious himself.

"It's nothing," said Samus quickly. "I was just half-expecting Harry to show up and start insisting I take him along. He was adamant earlier about helping me fight the X."

"Ah, well, I would expect that of our young friend," said Dumbledore. "He cares deeply about his friends, and much like you, he feels a need to aid them in whatever way he can." Dumbledore's tome didn't sound disapproving. On the contrary, it sounded as if he admired these traits that Harry showed.

Samus grimaced, then said, "Speaking of Harry, you said that the HP-X was seen at that preserve. Aren't you worried that...."

"Do not trouble yourself, Samus. I will see to it that Harry does not get into any further trouble with the Ministry," interrupted Dumbledore. "He has been here at Hogwarts the entire time, and with such an airtight alibi, the Ministry cannot accuse him of also being one of the perpetrators there."

"I wouldn't be too sure, judging from what Harry tells me about your government," sighed Samus. But she remembered how Harry said Dumbledore had kept him out of trouble with the law a few months ago, and supposed that he could do so again. "Alright, I'm going."

"Good luck, Samus," said Dumbledore.

Samus merely nodded, but before she went underneath her ship, she took one last look at Hogwarts, the place that had been her home for over three months. That was the longest she had ever stayed in one place ever since becoming a bounty hunter and she began wandering the galaxy like a nomad. She suddenly realized that if she couldn't be returned to her own time, she wanted to remain there at Hogwarts, the only place - besides being among the Chozo - where she felt like she even remotely belonged. And that way, she could continue to watch over Harry....

Samus forced herself to look away and walk underneath her ship. She was instantly levitated up into the interior. Wasting no time, she strode over to the cockpit, taking off the robes that had covered up her suit. This thing looked ridiculous, thought Samus dejectedly as she sat down. But at least it kept me disguised, and made me look as if I actually did belong among them.

"What's going on, Lady?" asked Adam brusquely as she sat down.

"Prepare the ship for immediate takeoff, Adam," Samus ordered as she fished out her helmet, which had been hidden in her robes. "I've just determined that wherever the X are, they're not on Earth. We have to search around Earth instead," she finished as she fastened her helmet.

Adam was silent for a moment, but then he said, "I see. I'm ashamed that the possibility had not occured to me earlier." As he finished that sentence, Samus heard the ship's engines flare up. "OK, Lady, the ship is powered up and ready for takeoff."

"Thanks Adam. Now let's go finish what we started," said Samus as she grabbed the controls with her left hand. She was now more anxious than ever to go and find where the X were. Then she could finally fulfill her duty, fulfilling the expectations of her Chozo benefactors as a warrior who could protect the galaxy from any and all threats.

And in the back of her ship there was someone else, squatting underneath an Invisibility Cloak, and he, too, silently waited for the hunt to begin.

---

It's officially 2006. I just can't believe it. Why? It means that this year, we'll be celebrating the 20th anniversary of Metroid. Come to think of it, over the next two years we'll be seeing the 20th anniversaries of a lot of other classic franchises, including The Legend of Zelda, Metal Gear, Castlevania, Phantasy Star, Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest and Mega Man. Oh, and don't forget the 15th anniversaries of Sonic the Hedgehog and Street Fighter II. But as groundbreaking as all of those historic games were, it's still the original Metroid that I hold in the highest regard.

Why am I bothering to mention this? Because right now, I've reached the midpoint of the story. And so far, I've tried to emulate the conspiracy-theorizing, you-don't-know-jack chills and thrills that define all of J.K. Rowling's super-epics. But that changes now. From this point on, this is going to unfold like a Metroid story. I know it's unorthodox to do this sort of thing for a Harry Potter story, crossover or no, but hey, it's my fic and I'll party like I want to.

For those who've stuck with the story so far, thank you. I just hope you'll enjoy the second half just as much.

So long,
Grey