Forty-Five Days

Forty-Five Days is the forty second chapter in the Wombles Eight.

“What should we do?” asked Hermione, “We can’t take him to the Ministry, they’ll question him about being here so late in the day, even if I ordered them not to.  It’s part of their oath, you see.”

“I suppose we could take him to the muggle monarchy.” Suggested Harry, “Unless you’ve got any better ideas?”  “No, let’s do that.”

Harry pulled out his wand and he and Hermione stepped outside.  Harry pointed his wand at a leaf. “Avenseguim.” He said, and showed the leaf a picture of Cathy.  He and Hermione had kept pictures of the muggle monarchy in their bags so that they could know what muggles were generally talking about.  They also kept several spare sets of muggle clothes so that they wouldn’t have to look odd.  The leaf blew away and then Harry and Hermione followed it.

They followed it to King’s Cross Station, then to Platform Nine and Three Quarters, then onto the train and then they sat with it on the train until it started moving again when they got to Scotland.  They then followed the leaf to a boat port, and onto one of the boats. The boat set off and they were on it for a very long time.  It was nightfall by now.

“I wonder where we’re going?” said Hermione, while cuddling up to Harry. “So do I.” said Harry, “But we’ll soon find out.”  The pair stared at each other for a few seconds then Hermione decided to kiss him. “I love you.” She said, “I always have done.”  “I’ve always loved you too, Hermione.” Replied Harry, “Even if it did take a lot for me to realise that was the case.”

It turned out that Harry was very wrong when he had said “We’ll soon find out” as the boat ride continued for another seven days and nights.  By the fourth day they had been allowed to stay in one of the boat’s bedrooms for overnight passengers, though the driver did say they were only really meant to be for people who pre-booked.

Just as they were going to sleep, Harry realised something.  “Hermione?” he asked.  “Yes?” replied Hermione sleepily.  “We were supposed to take Draco with us.”  Harry and Hermione stared at each other.  Hermione bit her lip.  “Are all the muggles asleep?” she asked.  “Yes.” Replied Harry, “I checked because I needed to use an engorgement charm on a pair of my trousers which had shrunk in the wash.”

Hermione sat up, turned around, and opened the window, then pointed her wand out of it.  “Accio Draco Malfoy.” She said, then laid back down.  “He’ll have reached us by the end of the journey.”

Draco actually reached them just after they had got off the boat in New York. He was awake now and screaming. “I’ve been flying across the sea without eating or drinking for three whole days!” he exclaimed when he landed. “I assume one of you two did that?” Neither Harry or Hermione said a word, just led Draco to follow the leaf which was leading them through the streets of the city.

After walking for many hours, they eventually ended up in Star City. Then they ended up in Gotham. Then they ended up in Bludhaven, where they decided to stay at a hotel for a night since it was getting dark. They stayed at many more hotels along the way as the whole walk took 38 days.  All of them were extremely annoyed at the fact that it had taken a total of 45 days just to find the queen, and the reason for it wasn’t even relevant anymore, because Draco was conscious.  They had decided to still find her anyway in case she could help them get the Philosopher’s Stone.

They found Cathy with Dom on a hill in LA.  “Hello” said Hermione while gasping for breath and clutching a stitch in her side.  “Are you Mrs Queen Lady Catherine ‘Cathy’ Anne Steed nee Purdey formerly Mother or Messervy formerly Gale the sixth of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, also known as the United Kingdom or the UK for short?”

“Yes.” Replied Cathy.  “Who are you?”  “Hermione Granger, your majesty.” Replied Hermione.  “This is my boyfriend Harry Potter and my- uh- acquaintance, Draco Malfoy.”

“Can we help you?” asked Dom.  “I really hope so.” Said Draco.  “We’ve gone through ever such a lot of effort to get to you.  I had to starve myself for days!”

Cathy smiled in a way which clearly showed her confusion.

“We need you to help us to defeat Uxas Darkseid.” Said Harry.

“Sorry but I’m busy working out how to defeat Katy Perry, her team, the sirens and a fear-reaping demon with a name that rhymes with Hit.” Replied Cathy.

“No, you don’t understand!” said Draco, “Darkseid is more powerful than anything anybody has ever faced before!”

“More powerful than Trigon?” Cathy asked inquisitively.

“Yes, more powerful than Trigon!” Draco replied in a frustrated tone.

“Oh dear.” Said Cathy, “Why do I have so many enemies these days?  I should never have gotten such a political job. There’s no way I could defeat this Darkseid you speak of, Wit, Katy, the sirens, and all the other villains, and rescue Bond.”

“I think we can do it, Queenie, but we’ll need a team.” Said Dom.  “What kind of team?” asked Harry, Hermione, Draco and Cathy, all at the same time.  They all looked startled at each other doing the same thing.

“Well firstly, Queenie, we’ll need the leader.  A person with high confidence, discipline and leadership skills who is generally respected by his or her teammates and has had experience in battles or has powerful special abilities.”

“Okay, I’ll do that bit.” Said Cathy, “I’ve always really been the leader of the teams I’m in, and I’ve definitely had a lot of experience. Plus, I have a special ability, my super speed.”

“Oh… Okay.” Said Dom, and Cathy got a sense that he felt disappointed about not getting that role.  But he didn’t stay sulking for long.

“Next, we’ll need the provider.  A person with resources to supply materials and needed equipment for the team and their battles, who is also respected by the team and the public in general.  This person doesn’t necessarily have to be particularly clever or skilled in fighting.”

“John can have that role.  Steed Industries has provided him with a lot of money, and he needs a role which doesn’t require too much cleverness.”

“All right then.  After that, we’ll need the muscle.  A person with strength enough to surpass that of the enemy, and perhaps with special abilities to aid him or her.  This person doesn’t have to be respected by the team, but it would probably help if they were generally feared.”

“I’ve got an idea for that, but I’ll get back to it.”

Dom looked disappointed again.

“Then we’ll need the engineer, a person who can build the required equipment for the mission.  Should be clever, fairly respected , and able to make things in a rush and yet still be efficient.”

“Clever and fast sounds like Barry Allen to me.  Okay what next?”

“Next is the wit.  A person who can fool others or effect their feelings and emotions by saying or doing stuff. This could prove useful in tricking an enemy into helping us, either without realising it or after becoming a turncoat.”

“I remember Chief Lisbon telling me about someone of that description. Patrick Jane, I think.  She worked with him back in California.  We could try and reach him.  Okay, that’s that one.”

“And then we’ll need the law.  A person who’s recognisable as some kind of legal authority such as police or detective, maybe for making an enemy confess to something or chasing someone to a particular location.  Does chief Lisbon sound good for that?”

“Yes, sure.”

“Next up is the informant.  A person who can look in place and comfortable with criminals, so that he or she can subtly gain important information and pass it on to the team. This person should be somewhat feared and not at all respected among heroes.  This person will go undercover with Quinzel.”

“Okay, you can do that.”

Dom was hurt, but moved on.

“We’ll also need a back-up informant, a known associate of mine who can help to solidify my cover.  Most of my team are busy with other stuff, but I’ve got an idea.  It’s kind of risky, but necessary if we’re going to save the world.  After that we’ll need the controller, a person who can tell an enemy what to do and be obeyed, and preferably should know the enemy’s plans since he or she would be their boss in some form.”

“No Malfoy you are not using the imperius curse.” Said Hermione, then she added, “But I’ll take that role.  I know something most of you don’t which needs to use that role.  That is why you suggested it, isn’t it, Dom?”

“That it is, Hermione.”

“You two know each other?” asked Harry, confused.  “We’ve met.” Replied Hermione.  Then Dom continued.

“We’ll also need a one-of-a-kind guy.  Someone who the enemy might not be prepared for as that enemy has no training against or doesn’t understand this person’s abilities.”

“John Constantine’s abilities are hard to understand.” Said Harry.  “Yes, let’s use him.” Agreed Cathy, “I’ve heard of him and he does definitely sound like a one-of-a-kind guy.”

Dom turned to Hermione as though he was saying the next bit only to her. “Then we’ll need the emotionally involved.  A person who used to be somehow involved with an enemy, so he or she can convince them to come back to the side of good.”

Hermione nodded and started staring at Harry.

Dom turned back to Cathy.

“And then we’ll need the distraction.  A strange person or creature who could distract an enemy so that a hero could break into a place or steal an important object.”

“Sounds like a job for a womble.” Said Cathy, “I’ll get Tobermory.”

“Next is the fake reason.”  Dom turned to Hermione again.  “A person who can be let into a place without clearance, and state that the other people are here to work with him or her.”

Hermione nodded again and started staring at Draco.

“Then we’ll need some vehicular fighters for that Fauna who O’Connor told me about.  Motorbikes, preferably.”

“Oh, that’s easy.  Bungo, Shansi and PMW.”

“And finally we’ll need the ultimate backup.  A person with all the aforementioned traits, so that he or she can stand in for anyone who somehow becomes unavailable, gets injured, or dies. Before you tell me that person doesn’t exist, I have one word to say to you: Hobbs.”

“Right.” Said Cathy, “Now let’s assemble the Justice League of England!”

And with that, Cathy carried the others back to England in a flash.

Harry, Hermione and Draco all groaned.  “If only we’d known you could do that when we set out to find you!” said Hermione.  “Then it wouldn’t have had to take 45 days!”

“You travelled for over a month just to find me?” asked Cathy, blinking. “Yep.” Said Harry.  “Would you like me to take you back?” said a mysterious voice behind them.  Cathy, Dom, Harry, Hermione and Draco all jumped and turned around.  Standing there was a weird small yellow person wearing a strange necktie.  It was Mr Chips.

“Take us back?” questioned Dom, “How will you do that?”  Mr Chips went weird and held up a screen which showed him flying around the world.  “Say what you see!” he said.  “The footage shown when the Catchphrase prize is announced.” Said Hermione.  Everyone looked surprised at her.  She just shrugged and said, “I watch a lot of TV.”

“That’s right!!!!!” said Mr Chips.  “But you also see how I will take you back!  I can fly around the world backward to turn time back, and because all of you will be with me just before I do it, your memories of the past 45 days will not be lost.”

“Okay.” Said Harry, “Are you going to do that, then?”  “That’s right!!!!!” said Mr Chips again, and then he flew high into space.  After staring up at the sky for a while, Harry, Hermione and Draco found themselves back at Gringotts Bank.  Cathy and Dom were back in Dom’s garage with Letty.

Cathy ran Dom to London so that they could begin assembling the team. “Okay just leave me here then!” Letty called after them in an annoyed tone.