And we are into the Harry Potter universe! (I'm such a nerd). I know the first chapter was a little vague in terms of the why and how of things, but fear not, I plan to tell you soon enough!

With a blinding light and a loud vacuum like noise, the two's surroundings had changed. The sanctum dissipated, and in its place was now a small inn. The smell of herbal tea wafted through the air, mixing with the delicate clink of chimes nearby. Of course they were still too engaged on fighting each other to notice this. They wrestled, Retha still clasping the tablet while Doctor Strange struggled to hold her. His head was still cloudy and pained due to the blow he suffered in the sanctum.

They were interrupted by a loud scream. They looked up in to see the desk attendant staring at them in horror, her eyes wide with surprise. The Cloak of Levitation untangled itself from Strange's leg and gave the attendant a frantic waving motion as if to say, no no please be quiet! Retha was less startled by the sudden change in scenery and used this as an opportunity to bash Strange again in the back of the head with a nearby object. Startled, the Cloak pulled him up, wobbling, and tried to follow her as she rushed out into the street. He opened the door to the inn to time to watch as she then span her hands in a circular motion and was swallowed up by a dimensional portal conjured by her sling ring.

Strange swore loudly. Attracting the attention of some startled bystanders. The Cloak fell limp in an attempt to act natural. She still had the tablet, and Kamatage had suddenly disappeared. None of the other sorcerers knew what had happened, as he had been the only one able to hold his own against her, and therefore was the only one who wasn't dispatched as she fled to seal the room where the tablet sat. And now she had gotten away and he had lost his sling ring in the fight. Now where was she?

Now what?

He glanced around the street. Everything seemed the same. Yet... That building wasn't there before, and the sky dribbled rain that had not been there an hour ago. His hand touched the cut on his face absentmindedly, people were staring. He hastily grabbed the cloak and ducked into a nearby side street, as he walked he transformed his tattered robes into street wear. Were were was Wong? What happened to the rest of the sorcerers. He huffed and waved his hand in a circular motion towards the sky. A blazing ball of sparks shot from his fingertips it like fireworks, rising into the sky and creating a resounding bang. Most people would think this to be a normal firecracker, set off by teenagers bored by their daily toils. Yet his fellow sorcerers would recognize it as a signal. A signal of trouble. A signal to come.

He needed to get the tablet back, yet he hadn't the faintest idea where Retha had gone. There was a spell to solve this, it wasn't hard. It only required some hair, which he most likely had on some part of his clothing seeing as they had spent so much time tussling and trying to knock each other out. The only problem was it required a sling ring. A sudden feeling of isolation came upon him, he gripped the battle worn Cloak of Levitation more tightly.

His musings were interrupted by the appearance of a stranger in the small side street. He was tall, with silver hair that reached down past his shoulders, and a likewise beard that went past his waist easily. Upon seeing Strange alone in the dusty, cramped road, his brilliant blue eyes adopted a look that made Doctor Strange feel as if he was being x-rayed. The stranger was then followed by another man, younger by at least a decade, with graying chocolate colored hair.

Albus Dumbledore cast a knowing glance at his companion and addressed Strange, "You're a wizard I perceive. Albus Dumbledore." He offered his hand, Strange took it.

"Doctor Stephen Strange." He replied, eyeing Dumbledore warily, "and the referred term is Master of the Mystic Arts."

"I've never seen such magic." Dumbledore said conversationally while looking at the sky.

"What magic have you seen?" Strange said with a questioning downward tilt of his head.

"Oh plenty." Dumbledore said happily, "I once saw an earlier performance of the Weird Sisters... Music. Truly magical."

Doctor Strange lost his patience rather quickly. Retha still had the tablet and there wasn't a moment to waste. He still didn't know what it did, and he did not trust it in her hands. "Look, I have some very important business to attend to, so unless you can give me a sling ring, I'm going to have to go." And he began to leave.

Dumbledore's inquisitiveness about this 'Master of the Mystic Arts' who had possibly just cast magic hither to unknown to him led him to continue to disturb this seemingly innocent stranger, "Sling ring? Pardon me but for all I know of the different magic all around the globe I've never heard of such a thing."

So this man wasn't familiar with a device as simple as a sling ring yet he recognized Strange's signal as more than just a mere spark?

"Excuse me but who are you?" Strange wheeled around with mild annoyance.

"Albus Dumbledore, headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and my companion here is Magizoologist Newt Scamander."

"Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry?" Where these guys part of a cult? Then again, Christine thought he had joined a cult when he first told her were he had been after losing his hands.

"Indeed. It's rather famous, I'm surprised you haven't heard of it. What magical school did you go to?" Dumbledore pried subtly.

"Er, Kamatage." Strange said, thoroughly confused and unsure if this discussion was worth his time. Then again, he had no plan at the moment and no allies; So far no one had come to his call for help. He was on his own.

Newt's raised his eyebrows in surprise, "Here? I didn't know there was a magical university in this part of India."

"It's not exactly a university- look, what is Hogwarts?"

Newt gave a little smile.

~o~

The massive walls of Hogwarts sprawled in the delicate dusk light, its windows glittering like stars surrounding a heavenly body. The castle was a great silhouette against the little light fading from behind the rich green mountain ranges surrounding it. The grounds were dew covered and silent. Students weren't due to return for a few weeks, so the castle lay silent except for the preparing teachers, staff, and a handful of student who arrived early for an extra curricular stretch.

One of these rather over eager students included Hermione Grander, who foolishly thought more education would do her good, being a muggle born and all. This couldn't be farther from the truth in reality. Hermione would be moving into her second year, and she had already read up on everything she could and even some spells for third years. Sadly, she couldn't practice any of the spells she had studied due to the International Statute of Secrecy, which permitted her from practicing magic outside of Hogwarts. Naturally she had jumped on the opportunity to arrive a few weeks early just to practice, and naturally her best friends were not their with her. Harry's aunt and uncle had promptly refused to let him accompany her and threatened to not even let him go to Hogwarts at all, and Ron had flat out denied any learning that wasn't yet required. On her own then.

It was a few nights after her arrival that she stared out the window of Gryffindoor tower from her bed, her hair enveloping her like a frizzy bush. She gazed sleepily at a pile of books on her nightstand, debating whether it was worth the effort to reach for one. Perhaps she shouldn't have got so caught up last night reading Hogwarts: A History. Her eyelids were increasingly beginning to feel like lead, and her mouth stretched into a wide, catlike yawn.

This feeling was promptly interrupted by a curious circular sparking light emitting from one of Hogwarts' many turrets. A dark mass appeared and leaned over the wall, looking towards the rest of the castle. It then disappeared through a door and out of sight. A nagging feeling tugged at Hermione, she had never seen such magic, and this occurrence she had witnessed was obviously magic. Then again, she was just a second year, and not even that really.

Yet the annoying nagging in her gut insisted stubbornly something was off, and so with a groan she pried herself from her covers and trudged down the stairs to the girls' tower. When she entered the Gryffindoor common room Hermione wasn't surprised to find it rather empty; Most of the few kids who were at Hogwarts this early in the year were down at supper. The nagging increased, and she opted to ask McGonnagal if there were any spells matching what she had seen. At the very least it was new learning. A the worst... the nagging sensation clawed a little more, though what meaning lay behind it she couldn't really fathom.

~o~

After bumbling around their identities some more, Dumbledore finally managed to explain who exactly he was and it became increasingly apparent to Strange that something was very wrong. He had never heard of half the things this man spoke of and vice versa. The two were fascinated by each other, but Strange did not trust Dumbledore and his companion enough to tell them about The Tablet. After it became obvious that no one was coming to his aid, he agreed to spend an evening with them at some 'wizarding' inn nearby.

"Butterbeer for me please." Dumbledore said pleasantly to Newt, who translated to the server, "And you Mr. Strange?" He said, is inquisitive blue eyes blazing.

"Uh, nothing for me, actually." Strange said, "and it's Doctor Strange."

"Ah, yes my apologies." Dumbledore replied, pleasant as always.

Newt finished the order and the server began to take his leave.

"Wait, I'll take a techila." Strange said with a steely look, his mind drifting to the events of the past day.

Newt looked a little puzzled at this request, but translated it nonetheless. The server raised his eyebrows, said a few words in Hindi, one of the languages commonly spoken in this part of India, and left. Somewhere nearby a group of people roared loudly, laughing at something, Strange didn't care enough to wonder what. The noise caused his stomach to clench anxiously.

"He said they don't usually get requests for Muggle drinks, but he'll see if he has any in the back." Newt said, his eyes examining Strange with interest for what felt like the tenth time in the past hour.

Strange considered whether it was worth asking what a Muggle was, but this thought was quickly shoved from his attention by the appearance of two little brown eyes peering over Newts coat collar. The movement drew Newt's gaze, and he smiled encouragingly.

"It's alright Pickett, come on out." Two adorably tiny twig like hands gripped the edge of his coat, revealing a creature that looked like a stick of young green bamboo had decided to grow arms and legs, adorned with long claw like fingers and two floppy leaves protruding from its head.

Strange did his best not to stare in horror at the thing. It wasn't necessarily its appearance that surprised him, as he had seen far stranger things since arriving to Kamatage. It was the fact that he was suddenly being bombarded with so many new things all at once, things that these strangers seemed to take as part of everyday life. He felt like he was being taught again, the Ancient One smiling knowingly down at him, a fan clasped in her hand waving with crisp precision.

If I told you everything you don't already know, you would run from here, terrified.

"What is that?" Strange asked, a very subtle edge to his voice. He gripped his techila and tipped a healthy amount down his throat.

Newt gave a rather lopsided grin, his eyes sparkling with excitement, "It's a Bowtruckle. Forest dwelling creatures often found in Western England, Southern Germany, and some Scandinavian forests. They commonly inhabit wand wood quality trees and are very fond of wood lice or fairy eggs. This one," He said, allowing the creature to climb onto his finger so Strange could see it better, "Came into my acquaintance a very long time ago, and has been with me ever since."

He smiled fondly at Pickett, it's eyes stuck to Strange warily, "He doesn't really like meeting new people, I'm still working on it after all these years."

The waiter returned with their drinks, placing each down carefully and not giving Pickett anything more than a sideways glance. He nodded at Dumbledore and Newt alike, and then left, dissipating into the crowd as waiters often do. Strange's eyes darted around the room, noticing two short, wrinkly men with long fingers and beady black eyes. They glared at Strange before returning to their hushed conversation. Goblins, not that he would know that. In an attempt to ignore them he returned his attention to examining the rest of the surrounding crowd. Upon overhearing two women discussing something about a Quidditch match, which had also never heard of, he opted to just converse with the two men in front of him.

"So where are you from Doctor Strange?" Newt said, suppressing a little laugh Strange was pretty sure was caused by his name. He should be used to it by now, honestly.

"I used to be a Neurosurgeon in New York." Strange said vaguely.

"Difficult Muggle business neurosurgery," Dumbledore sipped his butter beer, "Many don't give them enough credit. Although not able to wield a wand, they certainly seem to have a magic of their own."

"Excuse me, but what are Muggles?"

"Oh, it's the British term for No-Maj." Newt said with an air that said he obviously thought that explanation was helpful.

"I see." Strange said. He didn't see.

Their conversation was interrupted by the arrival of a silvery, luminescent tabby with rectangular markings around the eyes. It's mouth opened and a woman's voice echoed throughout the pub, stifled urgency hung in her words, "Dumbledore, if you could promptly return to Hogwarts."

Dumbledore's brows pressed together every so slightly, yet his face broke into an apologetic smile, "Well it appears I must go. Nice making your acquaintance Doctor Strange. Newt, I hope you find those smuggled eggs you were so keen to track down." He stood and made to leave.

Strange's mind whirred, with no leads and no help a faint feeling of panic arose. There wasn't much to suggest that the woman's unease had anything to do with Retha, but at the very least maybe if he could convince Dumbledore to bring him along he could try and find himself a new sling ring.

"Wait," Strange also stood up, his Cloak absentmindedly clutched in his hand "Is something wrong?" The inn seemed oddly quiet

Dumbledore turned towards Strange, his composer far from slipping, "Nothing to suggest that at all Doctor Strange, these things happen when your headmaster."

"May I come with you nonetheless?" Doctor Strange faltered, he knew how outlandish his request sounded, "I-Its just someone I know has recently dissapeared and I have reason to believe they may go to a place like Hogwarts."

Dumbledore smiled kindly, though his eyes gave Strange that x-ray like look, "Hogwarts has excellent security, no one who shouldn't be there can get in. Unless they are a student?"

"No." Strange said with a sinking feeling.

Dumbledore asked for his friend's name, and Strange told him. After promising to come in contact if he heard anything, Dumbledore bid the two ado and swept out the towards the door with a slight flick of his robes. Strange made an instinctive step towards the door, wishing to follow, when Dumbledore pulled out a thin piece of wood and began to spin. For the second time that day, The Cloak of Levitation unraveled itself of its own accord and proceeded to grip Strange's arm and fling him. He crashed into Dumbledore just as he apparated and they were gone.

Newt gave the scene a wide eyed look and reached towards a case by his feet.

~o~

"We seriously need to have a conversation about this!" Strange growled at his cloak. Him, the Cloak, and Dumbledore were now on the muddy ground outside a large gate adorned with snarling gargoyles. Ahead the large shape that was Hogwarts dominated the skyline.

Dumbledore untangle himself from the heap and stood, his breath slightly faster than usual. His stance was powerful, and he seemed to tower over Strange, yet his wand remained lowered for now. His face was hard and his voice was rather booming for a man who usually assumed such a pleasant air, "May I ask why you have forced your company upon me? And why you seem so keen to enter Hogwarts after I assured you your friend will not be found here?"

Strange gazed up at him, his face partially covered in mud, as he picked himself up of the ground. Again. It seemed to be a reoccurring event today, "She's not my friend, and she's dangerous. I can also assure you I don't think you understand what she is capable of." He said, his face becoming equally hard and determined.

Dumbledore considered him for a moment before simply saying, "Explain what she can do."

Strange's face grew slack as he saw the awesome sight that was Hogwarts, but still he said distantly, "Retha was one of my brightest students, she could even possibly rival me. She-" His attention returned to the conversation, "She became infatuated with this tablet, even I don't know what it truly does, but I knew it was dangerous. She is a passionate student, but disregards all rules and caution in her efforts." Strange sighed, not much different from himself, "She locked herself with the tablet and activated it, I don't know where she's gone, but your walls won't keep her out. I have no reason she might come here except that it appears to be a beacon of magical apprenticeship, and she has a greedy thirst for knowledge."

Dumbledore remained silent for a beat, before opening his mouth to speak. Whatever he had to say, though, was lost as a window exploded outwards in the distance, a bright jet of red shooting off into the sky.

The brilliant blue eyes gave Strange such a witheringly focused gaze, seeing deep into his intentions, deep into his soul, a gaze that made him shiver, before Dumbledore opened the door with a wave of his hand and barked, "Follow me."

~o~

Hermione's whole body jumped at the distant sound of shattering glass in the otherwise silent castle. She broke into a run, slipping her wand out of her robe's pocket. She was- albeit grudgingly- glad that she had ignored McGonagall's direction to head back to Gryffindoor tower. Something just wasn't right.

She wheeled around the corner and immediately had to dive to avoid a disk of energy that then shattered like glass into the wall with a shower of sparks. She whipped her head up, eyes wide like a deer, to see McGonagall dueling fiercely with a young woman with dark hair and brown skin.

Hermione scuttled to her feet, her mind racing through spells like a computer, until she finally whipped her wand in a sharp sweeping motion, sending essentially a magical firecracker down the hall, it exploded with a sound that she hoped would alert half the castle.

McGonagall shot another bolt of cherry red light at Retha, who summoned a wide disk layered with strange symbols and lines. McGonagall's spell bounced off it easily and ricocheted, but it was soon followed by a flurry of angry hornets, who ducked under Retha's shield and began to stab at her viciously. The magic seemed to differ greatly between the two; Retha seemed to be drawing breathtakingly intricate shapes and symbols in the air, while McGonagall shot colored beams, summoned things such as a fiery whip or a wave of hot liquid, and once even turned a nearby statue into a wolf, its fur bristling menacingly.

Retha swatted at the hornets frantically, giving a growling howl of pain. She just managed to sidestep another spell as McGonagall advanced. Retha summoned a gust of wind and spat the swarm back into McGonagall's face. The two reared for another bout of spells when Retha's attention was drawn to the hall behind her. Strange and Dumbledore thundered towards her, both already waving their respective hands or wand to begin a spell.

Upon seeing Strange, Retha immediately flung her arms outward with a blinding light and an earsplitting crack, and booked it out of a window. Dumbledore and McGonagall attempted to block the spell but failed, its wave piercing their magical shields. They fell to their knees, gripping at their ears. The only two who had not been affected were Strange, who had effectively blocked the spell with a geometric shield of his own, and Hermione, who had managed to shave herself from her stunned state in time to dive behind a wall.

Strange flung his upper body over the windowsill, another hot, magical rope sprung from his open hand and wrapped around Retha's feet as she dove towards another dimensional portal summoned by her sling ring. The Cloak of Levitation, which had returned to its usual spot around his shoulders, gripped at the nearest surface that held traction. Hermione rushed to help, and the two successfully managed to begin pulling her back up.

She thrashed as she rose back towards them against her will, farther away from the portal that offered freedom. That was when she summoned the tablet once again. Strange cursed rather loudly, both hands and a weakened Cloak (there was a large tear from one of the earlier fights) occupied on hoisting her up. Watery light danced across his face as Retha got the tablet working again.

"Hey kid!" He looked at Hermione, "Can you-"

The light became blinding and Hogwarts slipped away.