Hermione stared at the bland, unassuming building in front of her. It had been a long journey across the galaxy for her to discover the place.
When she'd first found herself in a different universe, she had been more terrified than she'd ever been before. She'd thought nothing could top the terror of the war against Voldemort, but learning about the intricacies of a new world was something else entirely.
It hadn't taken long for her to piece together that this world was in the aftermath of a war, too, and she could only be thankful that she had missed that as the wounds of her own world's war still stung. She had still felt terrified of revealing herself to anyone around her though, unsure how they would react to her magic that still remained potent in this new world as it was in her own.
She quickly learned that her ignorance of the world could be passed off if she pretended to be from some backwater planet. Those around her would easily assume she was on her first trip across the galaxy, and even when she massively slipped up, they would make jokes about how idiotic people like her were, not seeming to think much of her gaps in knowledge.
Still, she knew she couldn't rely on that cover forever, and she didn't want to. She wanted to return home. So, she found the nearest library she could find, and though she marvelled at the massive amounts of information stored within—far beyond anything she'd experienced—she set to work learning what she could to help her pass and, then, what could get her home.
Whispers of the name Luke Skywalker could be heard early on. His role in the defeat of the Empire was talked about widely, and rumors said that he was one of the long lost Jedi. Not only that, there was talk of him recruiting students. Hermione hopes they were true, though she had gained limited knowledge on the Jedi. Most of it was through hearsay, but she was certain that the Empire's determination to destroy all talk of the Jedi meant they were worthy of being restored.
And she certainly hoped she was right because she'd quickly decided that Luke Skywalker was her best shot at getting back home.
It had taken nearly a year of traveling through the galaxy and talking to anyone who had claims of seeing Luke Skywalker for themselves, but eventually, she'd made it here to the plain unassuming building that she knew had to be it.
The place hummed with energy that she'd encountered in few other places in this galaxy, but she was certain it was the Force. It felt much like Hogwarts within her world.
Each day, mutiuniversal truths of sorts grew stronger in her mind. She longed to share her hypotheses with someone who might take an interest in them for the knowledge's sake and not because they hoped to use them for ill will. Luke Skywalker could be that person; he might be kind enough to explore them with her both for the knowledge and with the hope of getting her home.
If she could learn more knowledge of the Force from him, that would be incredible.
There was no way of knowing what Luke Skywalker looked like, but the second the man opened the door, Hermione knew it was him. The Force encapsulated him in a way Hermione couldn't have explained in words.
As he looked back at her in silence, she wondered if he sensed her own magic, the magic that she didn't know how to describe to those of the world except in terms they knew: the Force.
Luke didn't speak as he stepped inside to let her in, keeping his eyes on her as he led her into a small sitting room.
The building might have been plain, but she could tell that it housed a number of people. She knew the rumors that he was training Jedi must be true, and the thought left her happy.
"Who are you?" Luke asked, lowering himself into a chair slowly.
"Hermione Granger."
It was the first time she'd used anything but an alias in a year, and her own name felt strange coming from her lips.
"I've come to you because I need your help. I'm from a different world. Not a different planet or even, as far as I can tell, a different galaxy. It's an entire different universe. The planet I'm from is called Earth, and we haven't encountered like on a single planet other than our own, though we've made some strides in exploring our own galaxy."
Luke was watching her with open curiosity and seemed to have no desire to speak up as she continued.
"On our planet, humans are divided into Muggles, who possess no magic, and witches and wizards who do. The closest analogue I've found to magic in your universe is the Force. Though I couldn't call them the same thing with complete confidence, the best comparison is saying that we're divided into Force-sensitive and those who aren't. I'm a witch, and our community keeps our existence a secret from the Muggles. As far as the vast majority of them are concerned, we don't exist."
Luke's lips tightened at this, and Hermione knew he was imagining, as she had before, how such secrecy might have prevented the Jedi from being slaughtered.
"One day, in the course of an experiment of sorts, I was sent here. I've been searching for a way back ever since. I'm hoping that you can help me in exchange for a greater knowledge of my world that will perhaps enhance your knowledge of this one as well."
Luke was quiet for a moment before he spoke.
"What you've told me if very difficult to believe. How can I know that you're telling me the truth?"
She had prepared for just such a question and was quick to respond.
"It would be a difficult lie to think up, wouldn't it? But I acknowledge that it wouldn't be impossible.
"Though I've compared our magic to the Force for simplicity, it doesn't work quite the same way." She pulled her wand from her pocket. "We use these wands to direct the flow of our magic and perform tasks."
She waved her wand at a book lying on a table.
"Wingardium leviosa!"
The book flew into the air just as she had directed it too. Luke nodded slowly, looking at the book instead of her.
"It's clear that you have a connection with the energy all around us, whether it's your 'magic' as you call it or the Force that I know and use.
"If it is the Force, that would you mean you'd taught yourself, which would be phenomenal."
"I didn't teach myself," Hermione said, stowing her wand back into her pocket. "I attended a school where teachers taught me how to harness the magic. I imagine it was much like the school you've created here."
Luke didn't bother with denials that the place they were in was, in fact, a school. He was still staring at the book Hermione had levitated despite it laying harmlessly on the table once more.
"I believe you," he said slowly. "The logic of some would dictate that I should not, but the Force calls on me to trust you. As I've dedicated my life to trusting the Force, I must trust you as well. I'll take you at your word. I will help you get home. In the process, I expect that we can both learn a lot from each other, to the benefit of both of our worlds."
Hermione inclined her head.
"I'm very grateful," she said, allowing him a small smile. "And I have a proposal for something I'd like to try first."
Luke indicated for her to go ahead.
"In this galaxy, you have midichlorians, which help determine who's Force-sensitive. In my world, we don't have any knowledge of such a thing, but I've also never heard of research that would have found them. Even the knowledge of how to test for them seems to have been largely lost here. I assume you know how to test me for them."
Luke's smile held genuine excitement.
"Follow me," he said, gesturing at the door that led further into the school.
Prompts:
Hogwarts Challenges and Assignments
Advent Calendar: crossovers - Star Wars
The Golden Snitch
Anniversary Event: (word) sorts
Word count: 1,392