Thought I'd send out a big shout-out to ReflectionsOfReality, who has given me a few ideas in his reviews. Also waves to Rainbow2007, and Soulless.Misses, for posting reviews of the last chapter. I think Reflections might be on to me about a few upcoming plot items… we'll see, now, won't we? Anyway, on with the show…

When John woke up mid-morning, his right arm felt like it was ready to explode in pain. More like, it was as if it were full of giant splinters, sticking in at every conceivable angle. It took every ounce of willpower he had, not to cry out. He found his right arm was pinned, and only a glance gave a very good reason why: Harry was still sleeping beside him, although he lay on his side, facing away. He would have smiled at that fact, had he not been in so much pain.

Seeing he was awake, Madam Pomfrey swooped in on her patient. "How are you, dear?"
"My arm… feels like it's full of splinters."
"That's to be expected. Here, this should help dull the pain." She went to pass him a vial, but realized he wouldn't be doing it on his own, and so gave it to him. John grimaced at the taste of it. "Do ALL your potions taste like shit?"
"It's due to their contents, I'm afraid, but they do work."
"If I can keep it down… feel like I'm gonna be sick." John looked around. "Where's my mom?"
"Getting some sleep." Derek was standing by the door to the dorm, and he looked dead on his feet. John again looked around the room, and noticed Bill and Travis were asleep together. Ron was in his own bed, while Hermione had borrowed Bill's-not that he was in need of it.
"You'll need to take this one now," said Madam Pomfrey, retrieving a second vial. "I warn you, it is most unpleasant, but absolutely necessary."
"What is it?"
"Bone regeneration potion."
"So that's why it feels like my arm's full of splinters."
"That would be why."

It felt like his mouth and throat were on fire. It was the best way to describe it. John almost sprayed himself and Harry with the contents, but managed to force it down, his eyes starting to water from the intensity. It made Firewhiskey pale in comparison.
"Jesus. Fucking. Christ," he wheezed, "Holy shit that's bad." Madam Pomfrey only smiled, saying, "You took it better than Mr. Potter did, I must say."
"How much more… do I have to take?"
"One more dose should be it, and I won't give that to you until later this afternoon-" she had to glance at her pocket watch to confirm. He suddenly looked over at the corner, hearing the sound of servo motors. "Um…"
"Travis put some sort of magic cage around it," answered Derek, "Which is why I'm still awake."
"Why didn't they just stun it again?"
"Don't know, but whatever Travis did, it's got it trapped damn good either way."
"You and I both know it will find away," said John, darkly. He felt Harry shift, and an arm fell across his chest. Now, he was pinned more than ever.
"So when did you make it a habit of sleeping with another boy?" Derek asked, although there was amusement in his eyes-something rare for John's uncle.
"Don't know, but hey, it COULD have been Cameron."
"Oh God, don't go there, that's just wrong on so many levels."
"Yes, and if he were at Hogwarts, I would never allow this," Madam Pomfrey huffed, appearing from the potions lab, motioning at the extra body in John's bed. "You need to get more rest." She had a vial in her other hand. "This should make you sleep until supper time."

John only nodded, and accepted the potion. In truth, he could again feel his body tingling, being in such close proximity to Harry. Even his sore arm was tingling, perhaps a little more-of course, then again, that could also be the Skele-Gro at work. No, this was mostly Harry, he decided. It was exactly the same feeling as he had the last time they had shared a bed. Truth be told, he liked it VERY much.

The next time he woke, he found his mother at the foot of his bed, and Harry propped up beside him, reading from a text book.
"Good morning, sunshine," Travis smirked, as he happened to look over from his computer.
"Uh huh. Whatever."
"Let's see how you're fairing," said Madam Pomfrey, seeming to appear by the door to the room. How was it she knew the moment he was awake? She rounded on the bed, and started casting a series of spells at him. "Merlin's beard!" she exclaimed, "This… this can't be right!"
"What? What's wrong?" questioned Sarah, a look of panic crossing her face.
"Not a thing! The bones are completely healed!" answered the medi-witch, "He should have needed one more dose of Skele-Gro."
"But that's good, right-I mean, the stuff burned like hell and tasted like shit," said John. Harry only grinned at those comments. He knew from first-hand experience.
"Oh absolutely. Flex your hand for me… very good, yes. Unbelievable as it is, I can give you a clean bill of health."
"You've missed dinner," said Travis, "But we put a plate aside for you."
"Thanks."
"I can bring it up for-"
"No, mom, I need to get on my feet." John swung his legs over the side of the bed, then carefully stood up. Travis smirked, and pointed his wand at John, muttering a spell. He found himself instantly dressed.
"How did you do that?"
"One of those neat household things."
"Like how the nanny changes a little one's nappies," said Ron, "What? That's the spell mum used on Ginny." He and Hermione were sitting on his bed, playing a game of some sort.
"Um, okay. Dude, I really didn't need to know that." He looked around, noticing the rest of the teens were also in the room. "Why's everyone up here?"
"Order meeting," answered Harry, "They've taken over downstairs."
"Oh. Wait, I thought you said you…"
"There's been a few changes-overnight, come to think of it," Harry grinned, "One of the best birthday presents, I think."
"Birthday… Shit, right! Happy birthday, Harry," said John, smiling. "I completely forgot-I know you mentioned it before…"
"Thanks. Both you and Travis… you guys really… like I said, been one of the best so far. I'm with my friends, not stuck being the Dursleys' house elf."
"So… that means you're sixteen, right?"
"Yeah. I'm an adult wizard in a year."
"Yes, and tomorrow… I'm gonna teach you how to apparate," said Travis, "You can all come down and watch Harry make a fool of himself." He stuck his tongue out at Harry.
"Anyway. I could use something to eat."
"Right," said Harry, "Dobby?"

As he finished his dinner, he looked over to where the terminator was still struggling against the magical binds.
"Say Travis, what did you do to it?"
"Magically bound, and surrounded by an unbreakable box."
"So, if you removed the binds, it still couldn't get out."
"Exactly. I thought you and your mum might like to ask it some questions," said Travis. John nodded. Travis produced his wand, then removed both the binds and the reverse silencing charm. The machine leapt to its feet at once, its red eyes glaring at everyone in the room. Seeing John, it launched itself, only to run into an invisible wall. John, Sarah, and Derek all flinched when it did so, but John put the plate aside, and stepped toward the invisible box. The machine again launched itself at the invisible wall, and again was thwarted by it.
"Face it, can opener, you're trapped," Travis smirked. The machine stopped, as though thinking about his words. In reality, it scanned the boy, noting the extra energy signature around him.
"How did you get here," John demanded. The machine snapped back to focus on John.
"We traced an energy signature," it responded. Its voice was male, possibly that of a thirty-five to forty-year old. Missing its skin, that was the only clue as to what it might have looked like.
"An energy signature?" questioned Harry, coming to stand beside John, "What KIND of energy signature?"
"The same as that which surrounds you-and you." It gestured first at Harry, then at Travis.
"Yeah, it's what's called magic."
"We have adapted-"
"NO you haven't," Harry snapped, "You're a Muggle creation. Machines will ALWAYS be vulnerable to magic. You don't want us to prove it."
"Magic? That is what you call it?"
"Quite useful," said Travis, gesturing at the second machine in the cage. It levitated from the ground, and easily passed through the barrier. He then shrunk it, and stuck it in his pocket. The machine observed his actions, seeming to process what was happening.
"It doesn't get it," said John, "I saw Cameron look like that a few times."
"What are we gonna do about her anyway? You still have her chip, right?" said Travis. John nodded. "In my jacket pocket."
"What about taking the chip out of this one-" Travis pulled the miniaturized machine out of his pocket again, "And replacing it with Cameron's?"
"It could work, in theory." John turned back to the machine. "Your chips… they're interchangeable, aren't they?"
"Yes, exactly as that one-" it pointed at Travis, "Said."
"Good."
"You know how absolutely nuts that sounds, right?" said Derek, at last joining in on the conversation. The machine glared at him, noting the barcode tattoo on his forearm.
"Surprisingly cooperative," said Harry, "I would've thought it would just keep its mouth shut."
"I don't see a reason," answered the cyborg, "We will keep coming for you, John Connor. We already know where you are, it's only a matter of time."
"We'll see," said Travis, "I mean, where we are right now-there's no way any of you can actually get to us."
"You will make a mistake. Humans are predictable. We, do not."
"Oh, so now the can opener calls itself perfect!" Travis snorted, "No, you're far from perfect. See, there's something you lack… it's what's called a spirit. You know, emotions, a conscience, that sort of thing? But you wouldn't understand, and that's why it's you fuckers that have to be destroyed."
"John… what about directly hacking its chip?" suggested Sarah. John thought for a moment, then shook his head. "We're eleven years behind technology-wise."
"My computer could probably do it," said Travis, gesturing to the workstation. "That blue thing… how I plug into the 'net… it will accept Muggle stuff, too."
"A T-triple-eight's chip isn't just something you can plug in like a flash card or whatever-" John began.
"Where's the other T-triple-eight chip?"
"I'll get it."

After a quick search of several pairs of jeans, he found the said chip, and passed it to Travis. He quickly woke his computer, then stuck the chip into the glowing blue device that sat on the desk.
"What operating system is that?" questioned John.
"Well, at one time it was Linux. But I've changed it so many times now-I mean, it can readily understand just about anything I throw at it. Whether it's Windows, Linux, or even Mac for that matter. A hybrid, the best way to put it. Now, whether or not it can speak terminator…" they watched, as a window popped up on the desktop. "Negotiating connection…" it said.
"What about power-" began Sarah.
"It will self-configure. Just gonna throw up the firewall…" he clicked the mouse on a few buttons on the desktop. At the same time, a second window popped up, on a second monitor. It had a red background, and was momentarily filled with white text, while an image of the room came into focus.
"Wait… shit, it's rebooted itself!" John warned, "Pull it out, man!"
"Why, it can't do anything," said Travis, "My system won't let it do anything we don't want it to. It's just as trapped as that one…" He gestured to the other machine, which had reverted to just standing in the invisible box. "While it stares at us, we can look at its code."
"I'll believe that when I see it."
"Careful what you wish for, Sarah," Travis smirked, as he pulled up several tools on his primary desktop.
"Vick's chip all over again," said Sarah, as the HUD displayed on the second screen seemed to somehow focus on John. "TARGET AQUIRED: JOHN CONNOR" appeared at the bottom.
"As if it can really do anything," said Travis, as several lines of undecipherable text also filled the HUD.
"Probably realizes its missing a few 'important parts'?" Harry sniggered.
"Awesome, I'm in," said Travis, as the window he had opened filled with lines and lines of code. "Hmmm… maybe we need to enlarge the screen…" He gestured to the first screen with his wand, and almost doubled its size. "Now…" He clicked on the desktop, and reconfigured it. "we can fit more on it." He opened a third window, which seemed to also belong to the tool he was running.
"How can it see what we're doing?" questioned Hermione.
"That." Travis gestured to a small camera sitting on the desk. He turned it to face the wall, and it was reflected on the second screen.
"Can it hear us?"
"The microphone's turned off right now. But if it were on, I imagine it could."
"What do you hope to accomplish though? Cameron said I hacked these things in the future, but-"
"You didn't have magic on your side," said Travis, "Now… look at that stuff… primary functions and protocols… directives-"
"Orders," Sarah guessed.
"It's still decompiling, but, yeah, I guess so."
"Holy shit… you mean, readable form?" John looked impressed.
"Yeah, exactly," said Travis, "There are a few good de-compilers out there. I got hold of one, and well, with magically enhanced programming… you guess the rest."
"Isn't that illegal?" questioned Hermione.
"Highly. Not that it's really stopped me. Now… we have motor functions… communications-interesting. Looks like it can communicate with wireless stuff. That's mostly experimental in the Muggle world right now-"
"As far as I know, that's the standard where we come from," said John.
"Eleven years… it's a long time, tech-wise. Oh… what have we here?" he selected several lines in one of the windows, and that caused yet another window to open. It was eerie, watching their fight with the machine from its own perspective.
"Fuck, you guys did literally drop out of the sky," said John, watching the event unfold.
"Sorry about that, mate," Harry apologized. John only answered, "If you guys hadn't… that would have been it."
"Okay, so we found its memory… what else does it have?"

"So that's how it found me," said John. The shadows were long on the floor, but the group had barely moved, as Travis sifted through the memories of the machine. Unlike the last time John had done something like that, the memories were in a much more organized fashion-most likely due to the way Travis' computer was able to sort through things.
"That's why you shouldn't EVER have run off like that, John," Sarah admonished, "You could have been KILLED."
"I know, mom, I know! I don't need a reminder."
"Okay, if this worked once… we should be able to do it to the other, right?" questioned Harry. Travis nodded, and said, "We'll have to disable it, then." He got up, and pointed his wand at the machine. "A hand?"
"Sure." Harry, Ron, and Hermione also pointed their wands at the machine.
"Stunner on three… one… two… STUPEFY!" Came four voices in unison. The terminator momentarily froze, then fell over backward.
"I'll get the chip," said John.
"Just a sec…" Travis again gestured with his wand. "Okay, go for it."

"Now… I can get the computer to compare the code bases, and see what's changed," said Travis, as John handed over the chip.
"You can do that?" Derek was impressed.
"Yeah, absolutely. It's amazing how many Muggle programs there are out there that don't work because they're full of bugs," said Travis, as he plugged the chip into the blue 'hub' device. He also uncovered the camera. Meanwhile, John retrieved Cameron's CPU from his jacket. "Someone mind binding this one?" he gestured at the more intact machine.
"Sure." Travis turned and gestured with his wand. The machine was instantly bound in magical ropes. He also cast several further charms, to ensure the machine could work in a magically saturated environment.
"Just in case this doesn't work." John then inserted the CPU into the hole, and screwed it in. "All right. A hundred and twenty seconds."
"For what?"
"For these things to reboot. Cameron told me that a while ago," John explained.

The chip inserted in the blue hub restarted first, but seconds after, Cameron woke as well. "John?" She tried to move, but knew at once she was bound.
"We only tied you up in case something went wrong."
"You have… put me into another machine?"
"Yeah. We captured another machine and questioned it. It said it was possible," answered John, "Do me a favour and run a test on yourself before we undo the binds."
"Of course! I've already done so… although this endoskeleton is not a perfect fit, I can adapt."
"Yeah, and you might want to sound more… male, if you get my drift," said Travis. She only nodded (she already knew she was in a male frame and skin), and answered, "Is this better?" her voice sounding exactly like Travis.
"Um… no. You can't sound like me, or anyone else here for that matter!" Cameron seemed to think on this, then said, "How about this?" This time, although the voice still sounded male, it was unfamiliar.
"Yeah, much better. John, you okay with us releasing her-I mean, him?"
"Yeah."
"Good thing Cameron is a unisex name," said Harry, with a grin, as Travis banished the magical ropes.
"And now I don't have to worry about my son having…"
"Mom, do NOT finish that sentence."
"Hey, you never know… that might still-OW!" Harry rubbed his ribs, where John had poked him.
"Well, serves 'ya right," John smirked. He then appraised Cameron again. The skin was identical to the one they had encountered trying to procure a shipment of coltan. Likely produced in the same batch, John mused.
"So… you just took her 'brain', and stuffed it into another machine. That's mental… completely mental," said Ron, shaking his head.
"No, it's metal," said Cameron. Harry grinned, while Travis only rolled his eyes. "Hey, guys… she-he is trying."
"Still just a can opener… damn, look at this." Travis gestured to the his computer. "This one's got a serious upgrade from the other T-triple eight. This shit here…" he gestured at several points on the screen, "It looks like they've got buffers and extra shielding."
"So they're trying to adapt to magic," John guessed.
"Looks like it."
"Like I told it, they won't ever adapt to it. There will always be spells that will destroy a machine. It's a Muggle device… and even if it wasn't, there's a few dark spells out there that will do the trick."
"Indeed." The group turned to see Albus standing in the doorway.
"Professor," said Harry.
"I am curious."
"Well, come have a look, sir," Travis invited. The headmaster joined the group at the computer, as did Cameron. "A Muggle computer, is it?"
"Yes sir," answered Travis.
"Most fascinating."
"Yeah, they can be. Professor, this is Cameron. She-he's a machine. Cameron, this is professor Albus Dumbledore, the headmaster of Harry's school."
"Nice to meet you," said Cameron, as they shook hands. "Remarkable. I see someone has ensured you won't be harmed by the concentration of magic."
"I did that," answered Travis, "The Fidelius charm in itself probably would have made her…or him go haywire."
"He or she?"
"I was originally placed in a female endoskeleton," explained Cameron, "It was severely damaged and would have posed mortal danger to anyone around it, and I instructed them to dispose of me. I am happy John was able to keep my CPU, and although there are a few faults with this endoskeleton, I am compensating."
"Just as long as you don't 'revert to your default programming', we'll get along just fine," said John, seriously.
"You still doubt me?"
"You tried to kill me, Cameron! It's not like an, 'oh, whoops, didn't mean it'."
"John. We might be able to get rid of her 'default programming' anyway." Travis gestured at another block of code displayed on the screen. "This is consistent between both CPUs. Look." Travis highlighted two sections of code. "Your name's in both sections, as is your mom, and a list of other people."
"That is our primary directives," said Cameron, glancing at the code, "How are you able to view the code in such a manner?"
"Magic, Cameron. Magic."
"This…" the machine gestured to the highlighted code blocks, "Are our primary mission directives. In the future, John is able to block those protocols."
"I can do better… completely REMOVE those protocols like they never existed," said Travis.
"So Cameron wouldn't try to kill me again," said John.
"Yeah, pretty much. We could make her-sorry, him, the protector your future self truly wanted."
"As fascinating as this is, I do need all of you to come downstairs and join our meeting," said Albus, "Although I must ask, Mr. Connor, how is your arm?"
"Fine, sir. Just fine."
"Ah, good to hear. I'll wait for you all downstairs, then." With that, the professor left the room.
"Barmy. Completely barmy," said Ron.
"All right. Let's finish this later," said Travis, "The Order waits, I guess."

Less than a minute later, the teens, along with Sarah and Derek, were downstairs in the main room of the cottage. It was amazing the number of people that were gathered around the magically enlarged table. Amelia was there. Sirius and Lisa sat together. Arabella Figg and Mundungus Fletcher were there, as was Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody, and Severus. Minerva, Tonks, and a tall black Auror named Kingsley Shacklebolt were next, while Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, along with the twins and Bill rounded out the group. It represented the bulk of the Order. Here they were, all gathered around the table at Travis' cottage, thousands of miles away from England.
"Err, hello, everyone," said Harry, nervously, as he pulled up a vacant seat. John quickly claimed the one on his left, while Travis took a seat beside Bill. The others seated themselves, while Cameron elected to stand off by the fireplace and observe from there.
"The first question we would like to ask, since Mr. Fisher is the secret keeper for the Fidelius here, is for permission to use this location for our headquarters," Albus began, "No. 12 Grimmauld Place may have been compromised, and as of late we have been meeting at Hogwarts."
"What's wrong with meeting there?" questioned Travis, "I mean, I haven't said no to the idea, but…"
"The school is not meant for such purposes, Mr. Fisher," answered Minerva.
"But neither is our cottage, professor," answered Lisa, "And you also have to realize, I just lost my husband. As much of an idiot as he was, I still loved him."
"We understand that."
"There is the other option I suggested earlier," said Sirius.
"Your island in the Pacific. That's on the other side of the world! How in the world do you plan on keeping us connected with England across that kind of distance?"
"Same way as we did it here," answered Bill.
"What's there now?"
"A small cottage, not unlike what there is here, perhaps a little smaller."
"We could also use it to hide people who are immediately threatened by Voldemort," suggested Mrs. Weasley, "Hermione's parents come to immediate mind, as do many other Muggle-born students and their parents."
"The island is big enough that we could have some of it put under a Fidelius charm, specifically for the Order, while the rest is un-plottable," said Sirius, "This is a very possible suggestion."
"I'll have to think about this for a bit," said Albus, "In the mean time, I'm asking again if at least temporarily, the order may borrow this location."
"For now," said Travis, seeing his mother nod.
"That settles that, then. The membership here is already very much aware of Harry's whereabouts and activities over the past few weeks, so there is no need in him needing to repeat it. Our next piece of business, then, is accepting the youth at this table into the membership. Harry," said Albus, facing him, "As I said, I have made many mistakes when it has come to your welfare. Mistakes, I daresay, I am ready to own up to, and perhaps correct."
"Does that involve your 'blood magic', professor?" questioned Travis.
"Indeed, it does. As I explained to Harry in June, as long as you still call home a place where your mother's blood dwells, Voldemort cannot touch you."
"You didn't tell me that, Harry," said Travis, "That's some pretty powerful magic."
"Blood magic, Mr. Fisher," said Severus, "Some parts of it are considered dark arts, and frowned upon or forbidden by the ministry."
"Still, it's something we need to find out how it works. How was it triggered-I mean, started?" Travis questioned. Albus only smiled and nodded, saying, "His mother's blood. Because his mother sacrificed her life to protect him, I was able to invoke perhaps one of the strongest protections possible. Harry, it has kept you alive for fifteen-I daresay now, sixteen, years."

Harry grudgingly agreed with it. As difficult as his life had been at the Dursleys, he was still alive. That didn't mean he had to like it.
"I understand that, professor. But I stand by what I said. I won't take being my aunt's house elf any more. I've had a pretty good summer so far."
"I know that, Harry, and I won't be asking you to return to your relatives again. That is my next mistake: seeing you as a boy, when you have never truly had the chance to be one. You have faced things that most adult wizards never will, and then some. Given that, I have several parchments that require your signature."
"What are they for?"
"Emancipation, Harry. The rest of you that have just joined us, I have a separate parchment for you to sign." As he spoke, pieces of parchment appeared in front of Travis, Harry, John, Derek, and Sarah.

"Now that piece of business has been taken care of," said Sirius, as the parchments vanished, "We can discuss this." He pulled out the locket again.
"Yes, indeed," said Albus, "You believe he's made six of them?"
"Five are still left, considering Harry destroyed the diary in his second year."
"Do you know where they all are?" questioned Travis.
"Yes. We had located all but one of them in my world."
"And which one were you not able to locate?" questioned Severus.
"Nagini."
"His familiar," said Harry, "It attacked Mr. Weasley at Christmas."
"What about poisoning it?" questioned Travis.
"And do tell, who's going to administer such a poison to her," Severus sneered, "The Dark Lord is most protective of his familiar."
"Well, she does have to hunt, right? What about lacing a fat mouse with it?"
"A cyanide capsule would do it," suggested John, "It would kill it pretty quick."
"That would mean putting it in under the skin somehow," reminded Sarah.
"But worth it, if that's possible," said Harry. Then, a tremendous, devious grin broke out on the boy's face. "Say, you know what would be an ironic bit of comeuppance?"
"And what might that be, Prongslet?" questioned Sirius.
"If we could somehow capture Wormtail, force him into his Animagus form, stick the cyanide capsule or whatever it is in under his skin, and feed him to Nagini."
"Only the son of a Marauder would come up with something like that," said Sirius, letting out a barking laugh that made Harry grin. It was so good to hear that again.
"And the other ones? We are drifting off the topic here," said Minerva.
"They all had some form of significance for Tom," said Sirius, "There is a diadem from Ravenclaw, hidden in the Room of Requirement at Hogwarts."
"Where exactly?"
"The room of hidden things," answered Sirius, "You might want to get archivists from the ministry to comb through it some day, Albus, there is stuff in there from when the school was built."
"Perhaps, we should then make a trip back to Hogwarts," said Albus, "and attempt to locate it."
"Tomorrow," said Harry.
"It is getting rather late," said Lisa, noting the time. The number of empty potion vials at the centre of the table also indicated the insanely late hour back in England.
"That it is," Albus agreed, "Perhaps we could continue once everyone gets a good night's rest. Mr. Reese, and Miss Connor, would you remain behind for a moment?"
"Me too?" questioned John. Albus shook his head. "No, only your mother and your uncle."
"Let's go back upstairs, guys," said Travis.