Enter the Dragon (Harry Potter/Shadowrun)

[Dunkelzahn]

In the process of preparing the three railway scenes in this section, I established with the kind help of several of the denizens of the CaerAzkaban group (thank you again, if you happen to see this) a history and locomotive stable for Hogs Haulage.

I thought people here might appreciate seeing it as well.

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Hogs Haulage History

So that would make the revised timeline:

• Founded in 1894, at which point they purchased a Andrew Barclay 0-4-0ST new to build the Hogsmeade spur line along the south shore of Loch Morar. That locomotive remained in place to perform shunting duties. It is the only locomotive that was actually purchased new in the history of the company.
• In 1895, they picked up a Manning Wardle 0-6-0ST "Llandinam" from the Pemboke and Tenby Railway, just prior to the railway's acquisition by the Great Western due to financial difficulties. The locomotive had been used in constructing the railway in 1863. It is intended as the London terminal shunter.
• Hogs Haulage picked up their next locomotive in the form of a pair of 1870's vintage Highland Railway 4-4-0's (No. 7 Fife and No. 10 Westhall) before the 1901 opening, purchasing them when they were withdrawn from service by Highland Railway.
• In 1901, the company opened service, running their 4-4-0's on the main line, and moving the Manning Wardle to King's Cross as a shunting locomotive.
• That year, they also picked up four LB&SCR Class A1's (No. 48/51/65-66) for their scrap value when the locomotives were withdrawn from service, keeping them in anticipation of opening new routes to Glasgow and other destinations with significant magical populations.
• In 1905, the company picked up a G&SWR 187 Class to keep up with slowly increasing traffic on the route, holding off on buying another locomotive until plans for new routes firmed up.
• That kept up with business requirements until negotiations started to firm up for a second route to Glasgow in 1924, the search for a new locomotive to add was ended prematurely when the founder was assassinated by Abraxas Malfoy in 1924.
• That setback and the subsequent interference essentially killed expansion, and the stable remained static in number but ever-increasing in performance due to the maintenance staff's ongoing tinkering until 1939, when one of the old 4-4-0's blew a bearing in mid-run and was retired to the maintenance barn 'until they had time'.
• The other 4-4-0 and the G&SWR, after four decades of magical tinkering, were able to keep up with the slowly but steadily increasing traffic well enough for a few years, though their condition steadily declined due to the heavy use.
• Acquired a surplussed Hunslet Austerity in 1946, when the Manning Wardle broke down unexpectedly and badly. The were a large number of the Hunslets available locally, and they didn't have the time to bring down one of the A1's in time to make the schedule, so it was purchased in a hurry. One of the A1's was moved down on the next run to serve as a backup immediately thereafter, and the Manning Wardle was moved back to Hogsmeade for repairs.
• Schedules were starting to get a little tight until the massive round of steam withdrawals in the 1960's made a surfeit of inexpensive purchase options available.
• 1961 saw the acquisition of No. 45401 (Stanier Class Five). Obtained in a hurry to relieve the aging and overworked locomotives.
• The additional locomotive takes a great deal of strain off her older sisters by lengthening the time for their maintenance cycles.
• 1962 saw the acquisition of No. 45030 (Stanier Class Five). Obtained in a hurry to relieve the aging and overworked locomotives.
• With the acquisition of the second Black Five, the 4-4-0 and the G&SWR join the other 4-4-0 in the barn as soon as 45030 goes through its initial enhancements.
• 1963 brought in No. 5972 Olton Hall (GWR 4900 Class) and No. 4844 Coldstreamer (LNER Class V2 2-6-2). Started shopping around for good deals, since there was now enough capacity for the route.
• 1967 added No. 70015 Apollo (British Rail Standard Class 7 Pacific). Started shopping around for good deals, since there was enough capacity for the route.
• With the introduction of the steam ban in 1968, the nature of the locomotives could be hidden easily enough with magic, so service continued.
• That has been enough to keep things comfortable for them up until Harry acquired the company.

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Hogs Haulage Locomotive Stable

That puts Hogs Haulage's locomotive stable at this point in the story here (withdrawn, mainline, shunting):

1. Andrew Barclay 0-4-0ST (Built 1894, Acquired 1894, new) - Main shunting locomotive at the Hogsmeade yards
2. Manning Wardle 0-6-0ST "Llandinam" (Built earlier than 1863, acquired 1895 from Pembroke and Tenby Railway) - 1901-1946, main shunting locomotive King's Cross, 1946 retired to barn for major maintenance
3. Highland Railway No. 10 "Westhall" (Built in 1858-1859 as 2-4-0 Seafield Class, Rebuilt as 4-4-0 in 1873 as an effective prototype for the HR F Class, Acquired in 1899 from Highland Railway after withdrawal) - 1901-1939 mainline locomotive on Hogsmeade-London route, 1939 retired to barn after blown bearing
4. Highland Railway No. 7 "Fife" (Built in 1858-1859 as 2-4-0 Seafield Class, Rebuilt as 4-4-0 in 1875 as an effective prototype for the HR L Class, Acquired in 1899 from Highland Railway after withdrawal) - 1901-1962 mainline locomotive on Hogsmeade-London route, 1963 retired to barn after acquisition of No.45030
5. London, Brighton and South Coast Railway A1 Class 0-6-0T No. 51 "Rotherhithe" (Built Dec 1876, Acquired Feb 1901 from LB&SCR after withdrawal) - 1901-? Shunting pool at Hogsmeade yards, mostly idle
6. London, Brighton and South Coast Railway A1 Class 0-6-0T No. 65 "Tooting" (Built Aug 1874, Acquired Feb 1901 from LB&SCR after withdrawal) - 1901-? Shunting pool at Hogsmeade yards, mostly idle
7. London, Brighton and South Coast Railway A1 Class 0-6-0T No. 66 "Hatcham" (Built Aug 1874, Acquired Feb 1901 from LB&SCR after withdrawal) - 1901-1946 Shunting pool at Hogsmeade yards, mostly idle, 1946-? Moved to shunting pool at King's Cross, mostly idle
8. London, Brighton and South Coast Railway A1 Class 0-6-0T No. 48 "Leadenhall" (Built Dec 1876, Acquired Aug 1901 from LB&SCR after withdrawal) - 1901-? Shunting pool at Hogsmeade yards, mostly idle
9. Glasgow and South Western Railway 187 Class, No. 197 (Built 1870-1872?, Acquired 1908 from G&SWR after withdrawal) - 1908-1963 mainline locomotive on Hogsmeade-London route, 1963 retired to barn after acquisition of No.45030
10. Hunslet "Austerity" 0-6-0ST (Built during WWII, acquired from military surplus 1946) - 1946-? main shunting locomotive King's Cross
11. Stanier Class Five No. 45401 (Built 1937 Armstrong Whitworth, Acquired 1961 from BR after withdrawal) - 1962-? mainline locomotive on Hogsmeade-London route
12. Stanier Class Five No. 45030 (Built 1934 Vulcan, Acquired 1962 from BR after withdrawal) - 1963-? mainline locomotive on Hogsmeade-London route
13. GWR 4900 Class 4-6-0 No. 5972 "Olton Hall" (Built 1937, Acquired 1963 from BR after withdrawal) - 1963-? mainline locomotive on Hogsmeade-London route
14. LNER Class V2 2-6-2 No. 4844 "Coldstreamer" (Built ?, Acquired 1963 from BR after withdrawal) - 1963-? mainline locomotive on Hogsmeade-London route
15. British Rail Standard Class 7 Pacific No. 70015 "Apollo" (Built 1951, Acquired 1967 from BR after withdrawal) - 1967-? mainline locomotive on Hogsmeade-London route
16. Potter Rail Prototype Mark 1 4-6-0 No. 1 (Built Dec 1992 in-house) - Built for mainline operations but not yet in service, essentially the 5AT as a coal-burner plus the full suite of additional magical optimizations to the steam handling and drive train that had been developed in the Hogs Haulage maintenance barns

So that should be useful for my future efforts.

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[Shance]

Umu, misunderstanding, actually capable Aurors, I like this, I hope they end up eaming up with WMD!Harry.

 

[TheGrog]

Wave that disaster flag a little harder, girl. I don't think you've called up a volcano or meteor yet.

 

[armorfiend]

You made me genuinely enjoy reading about a couple of old men starting a locomotive and reminiscing about their families. Very well done sir!

 

[hyperspacewizard]

Man I love this story it continues to be high quality

 

[Impossibird]

Yay! Shop excited to see where those goes!

 

[Damnedmatt]

Wave that disaster flag a little harder, girl. I don't think you've called up a volcano or meteor yet.

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Ah, I'm pretty sure that Harry can pass for both, you know, the general rampaging super dragon package

That said, I just love how you manage to do slice of life and actually bring up and expand on the lives of the characters and their interactions, all the little moments that matter far more than most give them credit for, without making them the clutter and the mess that distracts and draws attention away from things. Very well done, and I'm going to enjoy the Aurors arriving to rescue Hermoine... only to meet up with a rampaging dragon looking to recover his damsel.

If nothing else, it promises to be one hell of a shouting match

 

[Acolyte]

I am real interested in what their anti radar spell is going to be like.

 

[CatOnFire]

You would think a shadowrun dragon would have a larger vision range than a human. Filwick said the color charm only apply to what you can see, well I figured than harry could see more thus it might lead to a breakthrough faster.

 

[Gavinfoxx]

Dunkelzahn If reddit has taught me anything, in England, biscuits are cookies. The correct analog to an American biscuit is a "Breakfast scone", and even then you need to specify that it's savory, not sweet. Also, the definition of 'gravy' in England is different than in the US too. Here we have a few varieties, but they wouldn't even call the American South type gravy a gravy at all! That biscuit bit tore me right out of suspension of disbelief! Look up English breakfasts sometime, and differences between food and drink names in England and the US.

 

[Dunkelzahn]

Dunkelzahn If reddit has taught me anything, in England, biscuits are cookies. The correct analog to an American biscuit is a "Breakfast scone", and even then you need to specify that it's savory, not sweet. Also, the definition of 'gravy' in England is different than in the US too. Here we have a few varieties, but they wouldn't even call the American South type gravy a gravy at all! That biscuit bit tore me right out of suspension of disbelief! Look up English breakfasts sometime, and differences between food and drink names in England and the US.

Click to shrink...

No, the usage is correct. They actually are intended to be oatmeal cookies in the American parlance, which Jim's wife sent along as an extra treat.

 

[Girador]

Dunkelzahn If reddit has taught me anything, in England, biscuits are cookies. The correct analog to an American biscuit is a "Breakfast scone", and even then you need to specify that it's savory, not sweet. Also, the definition of 'gravy' in England is different than in the US too. Here we have a few varieties, but they wouldn't even call the American South type gravy a gravy at all! That biscuit bit tore me right out of suspension of disbelief! Look up English breakfasts sometime, and differences between food and drink names in England and the US.

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As there was no mention of gravy whatsoever I'm really not sure why you jumped to this conclusion when he's AFAIK not missed a single Britishism.

 

[zup]

Poor slave traders. They are just trying to make a dishonest profit and will get double stomped by Aurors and a dragon.

 

[Erik Phantom]

I'm a bit really confused, I thought Hermione was getting a silver torc and engagement contract, not bronze and a servant contract?

There was that whole thing where it was to save her reputation and dignity, as a servant contract at their age would be interpreted as solely sexual and makes her seem more like a slave for his use, while an engagement means it is a more serious and long-term commitment. They went into in depth and everything and Harry had to tell and reassure Abigail after she asked him to run romance things by her first, but now there's no mention of engagement and the Aurors and Grangers are solely referring to it as a servant contract.

Also no mention of a torc whatsoever, silver, bronze, or otherwise. Which was kinda the point, I thought? Since it would be a visible marker to all that she is formally and legally claimed as their own by a noble house and as such off-limits, unless they want war and open-season upon them.

 

[The Unicorn]

I'm a bit really confused, I thought Hermione was getting a silver torc and engagement contract, not bronze and a servant contract?

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The point was there's no legal difference, but there is a significant social difference. Hermione is getting a servant contract, Harry's also planning on getting her the various social accouterments that make it clear the service is expected to end in marriage.

 

[Dunkelzahn]

Erik Phantom: Harry mentioned in 4.10.6 that he was going to make her a torc when he got back because he didn't think he had enough time to make a proper job of it before he left.

"Formally registered?" she asked. Her brow furrowed as she tried to recall what that meant. "Didn't you say that meant something bad for my reputation?"

"Without a torc, yeah." Harry hurried to clarify, "I'll make you one of those as soon as I get back from the trip — I don't think I have enough time to do a proper job of it before then — but we gotta get you registered before I leave, so it can be official and I can be a public deterrent as the Head of House Potter."

Hermione's jaw dropped as the implication hit. Harry had offered her a torc!

Click to shrink...

As The Unicorn mentioned, the important bit for protecting her was the registration; as long as it's in place he's got the right to respond to any aggression, and the deterrent has teeth. The torc is social window dressing to help Hermione save face, so as long as she has it before her next public appearance in the wizarding world, she'll be fine.

 

[Erik Phantom]

The point was there's no legal difference, but there is a significant social difference. Hermione is getting a servant contract, Harry's also planning on getting her the various social accouterments that make it clear the service is expected to end in marriage.

Click to shrink...

Wait, there's really no difference in the contracts for becoming engaged (Edit: I know it's not actually a 'real' engagement, more just declaration of consideration, but still) and becoming a 'slave in all but name' servant? Those are very different things after all. Though I'm sure houses and families would have actual contracts and agreements of their own, having there be no legal difference between the two things in the public register?

And I would have thought Harry would have mentioned that he plans to give her a silver torc (and the meaning thereof) to her parents, just to try to ease their minds? (It would worry them in a different way at least.) But he made no mention of it, which made me think he really was just doing a servant contract/bronze torc.

Erik Phantom: Harry mentioned in 4.10.6 that he was going to make her a torc when he got back because he didn't think he had enough time to make a proper job of it before he left.
As The Unicorn mentioned, the important bit for protecting her was the registration; as long as it's in place he's got the right to respond to any aggression, and the deterrent has teeth. The torc is social window dressing to help Hermione save face, so as long as she has it before her next public appearance in the wizarding world, she'll be fine.

Click to shrink...

I must have forgotten that, though assuming that any snatchers would bother checking said register (or assuming they would at even be doing it immediately before the kidnapping to check she hasn't been claimed recently) to be deterred seems... unwise. And having legal grounds to pursue and punish the offenders doesn't really help Hermione, since at that point she's been snatched and possibly Obliviated of all memories, while a torc would have been a physical sign to them that "This person is protected by X, mess with her and you'll have a pissed-off magical Noble House coming after you for blood, and it will be completely legal, aboveboard, and outright expected." Not having it means that there's really nothing about her that gives any indication she's protected or in any way unlike the dozens of other muggleborn girls they've likely snatched. This is all assuming a nebulous and unaligned kidnapping of opportunity mind, it's even worse with a dedicated snatch-team working for someone like we know is the case here, since they would assume their boss is aware of any connections and wouldn't send them to start a House War. Even worse since Lucius apparently had/has no way of contacting them once they were set a target.

Harry's decision and choices make sense for him, mind, just they aren't as effective as he hopes.

Part of my confusion came from not being sure if it had been retconned/altered in the recent changes, even though they were stated to just be regarding Su Li.

 

[The Unicorn]

Wait, there's really no difference in the contracts for becoming engaged (Edit: I know it's not actually a 'real' engagement, more just declaration of consideration, but still) and becoming a 'slave in all but name' servant?

Click to shrink...

No, there's a huge difference, however what they did is have Hermione sign a servant contract where the service she's doing is Harry's girlfriend/mistress with the option to get married because any service contract Harry signed with her everyone would assume he'd be using her for sex.

And I would have thought Harry would have mentioned that he plans to give her a silver torc (and the meaning thereof) to her parents, just to try to ease their minds?

Click to shrink...

He might have,we don't have the conversation with them in full, just a general description of what they talked about.

 

[Acolyte]

Can't you back up you memories in the pensieve. Seems like something that can be used to de program someone.

 

[The Unicorn]

Can't you back up you memories in the pensieve. Seems like something that can be used to de program someone.

Click to shrink...

That assumes:
1)That you made a copy of all your memories in advance.
2)That the programing is something as simple as changing the events in your memories and not something more subtle such as altering emotional responses or even just slightly emphasizing some emotions and suppressing others, and these are just the most basic psychological changes with no compulsions or other magical effects involved.

 

[SoCar37]

That assumes:
1)That you made a copy of all your memories in advance.
2)That the programing is something as simple as changing the events in your memories and not something more subtle such as altering emotional responses or even just slightly emphasizing some emotions and suppressing others, and these are just the most basic psychological changes with no compulsions or other magical effects involved.

Click to shrink...

Also assumes pensieves are widely available. Depending on the fic, pensieves are everywhere and easy to come by, or extremely rare (i.eumbledore's is a one-of-a-kind). Not sure how our illustrious author is on the spectrum.

 

[The Unicorn]

Also assumes pensieves are widely available. Depending on the fic, pensieves are everywhere and easy to come by, or extremely rare (i.eumbledore's is a one-of-a-kind). Not sure how our illustrious author is on the spectrum.

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Either that or some other method of copying memories exists, yes.

 

[Dunkelzahn]

Pensieves are somewhat rare, the sort of thing that you have to put out feelers for and wait to find on the market, possibly for years. They're very much specialty items made by only the best master craftsmen. In-story, Harry is still waiting for one to become available for purchase (he started looking back after 3.4.2).

Also note that my interpretation of pensieves in-story is that they actually function as divination devices: they take the information from the 'memory' withdrawn from the person and use that to target a remote-viewing method on a particular point in the past. They basically let you watch a three-dimensional recording of the event after the fact. So even if you stored all those vials of memories and viewed them, it's going to be like you watched a movie of your life rather than restoring your memories of living it. It'd be better than nothing, certainly, but it would be nothing like a full restoration.

 

[Albus Dumbledore]

"Dr. Strangelove : Of course, the whole point of a Doomsday Machine is lost, if you *keep* it a *secret*! Why didn't you tell the world, EH?"

(3:45)

Wait, there's really no difference in the contracts for becoming engaged (Edit: I know it's not actually a 'real' engagement, more just declaration of consideration, but still) and becoming a 'slave in all but name' servant? Those are very different things after all. Though I'm sure houses and families would have actual contracts and agreements of their own, having there be no legal difference between the two things in the public register?

And I would have thought Harry would have mentioned that he plans to give her a silver torc (and the meaning thereof) to her parents, just to try to ease their minds? (It would worry them in a different way at least.) But he made no mention of it, which made me think he really was just doing a servant contract/bronze torc.



I must have forgotten that, though assuming that any snatchers would bother checking said register (or assuming they would at even be doing it immediately before the kidnapping to check she hasn't been claimed recently) to be deterred seems... unwise. And having legal grounds to pursue and punish the offenders doesn't really help Hermione, since at that point she's been snatched and possibly Obliviated of all memories, while a torc would have been a physical sign to them that "This person is protected by X, mess with her and you'll have a pissed-off magical Noble House coming after you for blood, and it will be completely legal, aboveboard, and outright expected." Not having it means that there's really nothing about her that gives any indication she's protected or in any way unlike the dozens of other muggleborn girls they've likely snatched. This is all assuming a nebulous and unaligned kidnapping of opportunity mind, it's even worse with a dedicated snatch-team working for someone like we know is the case here, since they would assume their boss is aware of any connections and wouldn't send them to start a House War. Even worse since Lucius apparently had/has no way of contacting them once they were set a target.

Harry's decision and choices make sense for him, mind, just they aren't as effective as he hopes.

Part of my confusion came from not being sure if it had been retconned/altered in the recent changes, even though they were stated to just be regarding Su Li.

Click to shrink...

 

[Acolyte]

Pensieves are somewhat rare, the sort of thing that you have to put out feelers for and wait to find on the market, possibly for years. They're very much specialty items made by only the best master craftsmen. In-story, Harry is still waiting for one to become available for purchase (he started looking back after 3.4.2).

Also note that my interpretation of pensieves in-story is that they actually function as divination devices: they take the information from the 'memory' withdrawn from the person and use that to target a remote-viewing method on a particular point in the past. They basically let you watch a three-dimensional recording of the event after the fact. So even if you stored all those vials of memories and viewed them, it's going to be like you watched a movie of your life rather than restoring your memories of living it. It'd be better than nothing, certainly, but it would be nothing like a full restoration.

Click to shrink...

Can't they just create a spell for that they have a lot of memory magics. It can't be that hard to copy memories from one medium to
to an another after all its all just information.

 

[zup]

Can't they just create a spell for that they have a lot of memory magics. It can't be that hard to copy memories from one medium to
to an another after all its all just information.

Click to shrink...

Perhaps it is easy, perhaps it has been achieved many times even. But the pureblood elite could have suppressed it and obliviated the researchers of memory back-ups because they want to prey on defenceless mudbloods and orphans without interference.

 

[The Unicorn]

Can't they just create a spell for that they have a lot of memory magics. It can't be that hard to copy memories from one medium to
to an another after all its all just information.

Click to shrink...

Which is why you can record memories on a thumb drive, right?

Perhaps it is easy, perhaps it has been achieved many times even. But the pureblood elite could have suppressed it and obliviated the researchers of memory back-ups because they want to prey on defenceless mudbloods and orphans without interference.

Click to shrink...

I dislike this explanation for a number of reasons:
1)It is incredibly naive.
2)It assumes the "pureblood elite" are a monolithic block.
3)It assumes the "pureblood elite" are all incredible altruists willing to put the long term interests of the group over their own interests, and for that matter the group's short term interests.
4)It ignores how technology progresses (and yes, "magic" is a type of technology).

There has never been, and never will be a technology that will just help promote freedom without being useful to the oppressors and dictators. Even assuming that copying memories would be as useful for undoing brainwashing(see previous posts for a few of the reasons it wouldn't be all that useful) it would be even more useful for brainwashing people, and even if it's some limited form that isn't useful for that it would be incredibly useful for all sorts of people meaning it would make whoever controlled the discovery very rich.

 

[Acolyte]

Which is why you can record memories on a thumb drive, right?

Click to shrink...

Should be easy, they have a lot of spells for memory , and charms can be put onto object, can't see why they wouldn't or couldn't just devolp a memory storage charm.

 

[The Unicorn]

Should be easy, they have a lot of spells for memory , and charms can be put onto object, can't see why they wouldn't or couldn't just devolp a memory storage charm.

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I can think of many possible reasons why not, starting from they have no ability to store memories , or all their spells rely on controlling the natural mechanisms for changing memories, or copying memories is possible, but getting them back in your head requires perfect control, or many other possible explanations.

There's no reason it should be easy.

 

[Erik Phantom]

"Dr. Strangelove : Of course, the whole point of a Doomsday Machine is lost, if you *keep* it a *secret*! Why didn't you tell the world, EH?"

Click to shrink...

Yes, that is a good way of putting what I meant: Outside of whoever may try something against Hermione of being extraordinarily prepared and cautious, for them to even know about her being part of House Potter now, there is nothing to discourage them from doing so, at which point it is already too late to keep her safe, and all it does is give Harry legal carte blanche to go after them.