Astaria: A New Dawn

CH 12: The Final Countdown and Forgotten Essentials

The two weeks leading up to the final journey were an endless blur of packing, planning, and last-minute preparations. Harry had gathered supplies, organized the exodus, and made sure everyone was ready to embark on the journey to Astaria. But with each passing day, the scale of the project seemed to grow larger, and he constantly found himself thinking of more things they would need once they arrived. And then, just as the days were counting down, Harry realized he had forgotten something critical.

As he scanned through his checklist late one evening in Grimmauld Place, the thought struck him like a bolt of lightning—they would need books on construction, boat-building, and infrastructure. Astaria was a blank slate, and while magic would certainly play a role in building their new world, there would be times when old-fashioned craftsmanship would be essential. They needed to know how to construct boats for exploration, shelters for living, and how to design the infrastructure necessary to connect their communities.

"How could I forget?" Harry muttered, shaking his head at himself. He had been so focused on magical solutions, he had overlooked the practical ones.

Without wasting time, Harry made a new note on his checklist and set out to gather everything they would need.

The next morning, Harry headed to London, where he spent hours in one of the largest Muggle bookstores he could find. He scoured the shelves for construction books, gathering volumes on how to build shelters, roads, and bridges. He picked out boat-building guides that explained the step-by-step processes for constructing rafts, canoes, and even larger vessels. Knowing that they would need to create infrastructure from the ground up, he added several books on engineering and city planning to his growing pile.

The "For Dummies" series proved invaluable once again. Harry grabbed copies of "Construction for Dummies," "Boat Building for Dummies," and "Engineering for Dummies"—simple, easy-to-understand guides that would provide a foundation for anyone unfamiliar with these skills. He even found "Interior Design for Dummies" and books on home decoration, knowing that they would eventually want to make their new homes not just functional, but comfortable and beautiful.

After purchasing the construction and design books, Harry realized something else—they would need fashion and uniform design books to ensure they could create their own clothes. With an unfamiliar climate awaiting them on Astaria, they needed to be ready to adapt. He grabbed a selection of books on sewing, knitting, fabric care, and uniform design—everything from practical outdoor clothing to formal attire.

His next stop was a bulk fabric store, where he bought rolls and rolls of different fabrics—cotton, wool, linen, and more specialized materials for outdoor wear. He selected a variety of colors and textures, ensuring they would have enough fabric to meet the needs of everyone in the community. Harry also picked up sewing kits, knitting supplies, and different threads and needles, knowing that creating their own clothes and uniforms would be essential once they settled on Astaria.

He didn't stop there. Harry also made a trip to a home improvement store, where he bought bulk quantities of wallpaper, paint, and various decorating materials. He imagined the day when they would be able to build permanent homes, and while magical enchantments would do much of the heavy lifting, they would still need practical supplies to personalize their spaces. He bought paintbrushes, rollers, and other decorating tools in bulk, packing everything into his magically expanded trunks.

Lastly, Harry made a stop at a wizarding shop that specialized in magical shelters. He knew that, before building permanent structures, they would need something immediate and livable for everyone. So, he ordered 1,400,000 magical tents—expandable, durable, and charmed for comfort. These tents could be adjusted to fit large families or individuals and would provide the magical community with safe housing while they worked on more permanent structures in their new world.

By the time Harry returned to Grimmauld Place, his list of supplies was nearly complete. He spent the next few days meticulously packing everything into labeled trunks, each item carefully organized to make the move to Astaria as smooth as possible.

One trunk was filled with construction books, engineering guides, and manuals on boat-building. Harry labeled it Muggle Construction Guides, knowing that these books would provide the practical knowledge needed to build not just shelters, but entire communities on Astaria.

Another trunk held fashion books, sewing kits, and different types of fabrics. This one he labeled Clothing and Fabric Supplies, ensuring that they would have everything they needed to create functional and stylish clothing for the different environments they would face.

The bulk wallpaper, paint, and interior design books were packed into another trunk, labeled Interior Design and Decoration, ready for the day when the magical community would be building homes that needed finishing touches.

The magical tents, designed to house everyone from the largest families to individuals, were packed separately, labeled and ready for distribution as soon as they arrived on Astaria.

As the final days approached, Harry rechecked every trunk, ensuring that nothing was left out. The sheer number of supplies he had gathered was staggering, but Harry knew that they would need all of it to survive and thrive on their new planet. From food and magical tools to construction materials and fashion supplies, everything was packed and labeled for the journey.

Finally, the night before the exodus, Harry stood in the nearly empty Grimmauld Place. The house that had once been so full of memories, history, and tension was now stripped bare, its contents packed into countless trunks, all ready for transport.

He took a deep breath and glanced at the massive pile of trunks in the corner, feeling a strange sense of calm. Everything they needed—everything they could possibly need—was packed and ready. Tomorrow, they would leave Earth behind for a new world, and they were as prepared as they could be.

As Harry settled down for his final night in Grimmauld Place, he felt the weight of the journey ahead, but also the hope that came with it. Tomorrow, the magical community would set foot on Astaria—a new beginning, a new home.

And this time, they were ready for anything.