The second they returned to Baker Street Sherlock shot up the stairs, leaving John to pay for the cab, and carry the liquor up on his own. He grumbled all the way up, taking it slow so not to accidentally drop something and then have to clean it up himself, maybe with Mrs. Hudson's help. Sherlock would never help clean anything in his entire life, especially if he hadn't provided the mess.

John was busy grumbling when he ended up in his flat. He was greeted with the sight of a very upset looking Mrs. Hudson and an annoyed Sherlock. "Christ, you shouldn't have had time to say anything awful this fast," John said.

"Did you boys really go the Leaky Cauldron."

"The what?"

"The pub we were in," Sherlock said.

"Oh yeah, real hard to get there," John said.

Mrs. Hudson got very pale. "Muggles aren't supposed to be able to get there."

"What's a muggle."

"Clearly a word for one of the people that's not one of that world," Sherlock said.

"Okay," John said. "I'm going to put this away," he said. He paused, thought about it for a second and looked at Mrs. Hudson. "We got a bottle of firewhiskey and butterbeer," John said. He was taken aback when Mrs. Hudson nearly sobbed. "What's wrong."

"Just proving that we actually did go to the pub," Sherlock said.

John sighed heavily. "Don't say anything until I get back," he said, going and finding a place to put the drinks before coming back out of the living room. He sat down next to Mrs. Hudson on the sofa and put his arm around her. "Is it really so bad that we know?"

"Of course it is, 'Statute of Secrecy', remember?" Sherlock asked.

"Hannah made it seem like it was just a bureaucratic problem."

"It's more than that," Mrs. Hudson said, reaching out and gripping John's hand tightly. "Sherlock," she said, focusing on him completely, imploring him. "You have to understand how this was before the statute was in acted. We joke about it now because it's so old… but you know how people are. If they see something they can't have they get… so jealous, and so spiteful. It's not for your protection, its for our own. Please, please don't press this anymore," she said softly.

"You know I can't simply let this go," Sherlock said, looking grumpy, like he didn't really believe her.

"Sherlock!" John snapped. Whatever was going on… well it made John very worried. Protection, why would these people, whoever they were… why would they need protection for the rest of the world.

"How old is the statute of secrecy?" Sherlock asked

"1692," Mrs. Hudson said softly. "But our kind had begun withdrawing from the public eye before that."

"1692… that's the witch trials, wasn't it?" John asked, feeling something settle hard in his stomach.

"How did you know that?" Sherlock asked.

"School," John said, looking back at the couch's other occupant. "Mrs. Hudson?"

"Yes, that's around the same time," she said, like she was alluding to something and trying to push them away from it too.

"I don't understand," John said.

"Why, why were you going in hiding around then?"

"Oh Sherlock, please," Mrs. Hudson asked.

"Mrs. Hudson, if you do not tell me, then I'm going to find out on my own and probably in a way that is dangerous to me and your world," Sherlock said.

Mrs. Hudson looked honestly betrayed, and when John glanced at Sherlock he could see something like guilt pass over his eyes.

"The statute of secrecy is the short name," Mrs. Hudson said. She paused and then took a big breath before continuing, trying to hold Sherlock Holmes off for as long as possible. "Its full… official… name is this…" She trailed off again, sighed and took another big breath. "The International Statute of Wizard Secrecy."

"The what?" John asked, looking positively gobsmacked. "Wizards… like magic?"

"Yes John, exactly like magic," Mrs. Hudson said.

"Magic, like real magic?" John asked.

"Yes, real magic."

"Prove it," Sherlock said.

"I can't," Mrs. Hudson said.

"See, not real," Sherlock said.

"Sherlock, I'm a squib, a person born to a magical family that has no magic," Mrs. Hudson said. "It's like those genetics things you go on and on about," she said. "I was born to the world, I buy things there sometimes, I use their bank, but I can't use magic."

"Mrs. Hudson, I know you know the truth. I never believed you capable of making up such an outrageous lie," Sherlock said, looking honestly furious.

"I'm not lying, Sherlock. I'm not trying to distract you from your mystery. I'm telling you the truth."

"There's no such thing as magic," Sherlock said.

"But there is," Mrs. Hudson said.

"Get out," Sherlock said, pointing to the door, absolutely radiating fury.

Mrs. Hudson looked seriously upset but she drew herself up and walked out with as much pride as she could muster. John watched her go before looking back at Sherlock. "I can't believe you did that."

"She's telling preposterous stories to get me off the trail. Mycroft must have spoken to her," Sherlock said, starting to pace, trying to think.

"Or, you know… she'd telling the truth," John said.

"Oh please, like you really believe that nonsense!"

"Well… no, but you've got to admit a lot of it lines up," John said.

"No it doesn't. How does it?"

"The witch trials for one."

"Coincidence or part of the lie," Sherlock scoffed.

"The way everyone dressed up differently."

"A different world inside London, of course they'll dress differently."

"The age of the buildings and the fact that they were so far behind the times."

"Again, John, another world hidden right under our noses."

"How about that we couldn't see the damn place until we seriously concentrated on it."

"I'm going out," Sherlock said, heading for the door.

"What, you just going to leave without admitting one way another?" John asked.

"I need to think I need to be alone," Sherlock said and walked out.

John stared after him for a moment before starting to pace. Finally he sighed and went down to 221a. He knocked. "Mrs. Hudson." He waited for a while before the door opened.

"Come in, dear," Mrs. Hudson said, giving him a sad smile. "Sherlock left."

"Of course he did," John said, sounding as frustrated as he felt. "Mrs. Hudson… can I ask you something… about… well, about magic?"

"Of course, please, come sit down," Mrs. Hudson said, taking him to her kitchen table to sit with her.

"Why do you have to hide… if you have magic it seems like you'd be able to defend yourself against… well, muggles was the word, right?"

"Yes, that's the word… and it's not that simple. The magical population is very small… and very old. We don't progress very fast. Wizards still use owl post, and few if any even own telephones. There was things we can do without technology, and communications that we can use where are faster than what muggles can do… but muggles make up for a lack of magic by making their own solutions to problems," she said.

"I still don't understand, back in 1692…"

"It was the children John… there were children who were being tortured by muggles to that they'd use their magic for the muggles. The children couldn't defend themselves and they weren't well trained enough to use their magic. Wands are almost always necessary except with a high amount of training, and so the children were the most volatile, weakest, and under trained. Besides the children many witches and wizards were burned of tortured. We make jokes about Wendaline the Weird, who used the anti burning spells to protect herself and let herself get caught over and over… but those were very serious times…"

"Are they never not serious times?" John asked, trying to insert a joke because of how serious Mrs. Hudson looked.

"We had a terrible time… so many people promoting wizard supremacy… like the Nazis, except within our own boarders," she said softly. "England is very magic, just the land itself has always had strong ties to magic… even more so than other places. I think Japan, maybe Chine or India might had just as strong ties, but they're different. They practice a little differently than we do… England as seen the two strongest, darkest wizards in history come from our country… anti-muggle wizards… sentiment passed down from a time when our kind were hunted and tortured."

"Oh," John said. It sounded so real… it was just still so big… He didn't know how he could accept it without seeing anything… but he didn't plan to just run off like Sherlock. "What about now? Why no revealing yourselves?"

"We have very effective ways of killing one or two people… and muggles invented the hydrogen bomb," Mrs. Hudson said softly.

"You'd be overwhelmed."

"Badly… John… I don't… I don't really spend time with the wizards. I go to the Leaky Cauldron sometimes… because my family and my whole world was magic when I was young… I go to be nostalgic, and I made a few friends… but I'm more muggle than witch… I think that there's something better about the muggle life. I think muggles learn more. Wizards worry about magic only… we never worry about math or science or music… when Sherlock showed up it was such a surprise… he was so odd, but he knew more about anything than almost all the wizards I'd ever met… maybe Albus Dumbledore could have given Sherlock a run for his money if he was still alive… but Albus was very old… and he was like Sherlock… well, more like Mycroft. Mycroft liked him can you believe that?"

"What, Mycroft liking someone… who was Albus Dumbledore?"

"The headmaster of Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry… where Neville Longbottom teaches… Albus was also the most powerful wizard alive… for a very long time," she said, "I met him a few times, he was so delightful, and so wise… and kind, but smart and wicked when the time came. He loved people, but thought in big strokes… and sometimes even the people he loved could be pawns… like Mycroft a lot, really," she said.

"Yes, except for the loving people part," John said, smiling at his landlady, standing up as he did so. "Thank you Mrs. Hudson… I'm just not sure if I believe yet… but you make it sound very plausible. I don't think you're lying to me, and I don't think you're crazy," he said.

"Thank you for that dear. Will you talk to Sherlock?"

"Whenever he gets back, I will," John said. "Would you like some butterbeer?"

"I'd rather have the firewhiskey," Mrs. Hudson said, getting up and walking around John and up to his flat. He smiled, following after her.

Neville was not happy to have been called in to see Mycroft Holmes. He was even less happy that Harry had been dragged along with him. They both made sure to have their completely muggle garb on (suits, both of them) when they arrived at Mycroft's office. "Hello Mr. Potter," a very attractive woman said. "Can I get you anything?"

"Water, Anthea," Harry said, going and finding a seat at a table. The woman stopped to look at him before walking out.

"She didn't ask me," Neville said.

"I ordered for you," Harry said. "Sit down," he added and Neville took the seat next to him.

"Are we supposed sit here?"

"No, we're supposed to sit in front of Mycroft's desk, but I don't want to feel like I'm back in the headmaster's office, do you?"

Neville grinned. "No," he said. He glanced up when a man came in with a tray with a pitcher of ice water, three glasses, and a bowl of little round mints, for which Harry produced a bag and scooped out about half of them. "What?"

"Ginny loves them, heck I do too. I discovered that bringing home a few made my day a bit better," he said.

Neville nodded, understanding, but he reached out and took one, popping it into his mouth. Yes, painfully goo, probably painfully expensive if even Harry couldn't afford them. No wonder Harry was hoarding them.

"Ah, Mr. Potter, Mr. Longbottom," Mycroft said, walking in. He walked directly to the table, taking one of the two remaining chairs. "I see you both made quick work of the mints."

"Can't get enough of them," Harry said. "Mycroft," he added.

"Harry," Mycroft said, looking Harry Potter in the eyes in a way that few men could do anymore.

"Why have you called us here?" Harry asked.

"I'm afraid it's about my brother."

"I thought so, especially when you didn't get back to me immediately when I called," Harry said.

"Yes, well, Sherlock just so happened to turn up at my club earlier today. We had a delightful chat. He's not going to stop pursuing this, whether you wipe his memory or not."

"That's what we were afraid of," Neville said.

"I am sorry for you, Mr. Longbottom, to have had to put up with my brother. I'll make sure you don't get a mark on your record… no, we need to have a very different discussion."

"Like what?" Harry asked.

"My brother is what he likes to call himself, a Consulting Detective. The muggle police force find him very useful when they have a particularly puzzling mystery, ones that aren't magic related. He's very good with them," Mycroft said.

"So?" Neville asked, not getting it yet.

"Mr. Longbottom, it may interest you that Sherlock and his companion Dr. Watson discovered the Leaky Cauldron today. I've been told they enjoyed a few shots of Ogden's old Firewhiskey and a bottle of butterbeer, and that your wife sold them a bottle of Ogden's and a case of butterbeer."

"They found the Leaky Cauldron?" Neville asked.

"Many of your magical ward are built on fooling the human brain, especially a muggle's. The Leaky Cauldron can be found by anyone who's looking hard enough. Sherlock is very observant. I'm surprised he hasn't found it before. Dr. Watson, when put up to it, can also be very observant."

"Have they found Diagon Alley yet?" Harry asked.

"Not yet, but if left to their own devices, they will. Right now I imagine my brother has stormed out into the streets because he'd just been told about magic."

"What, how?" Harry asked.

"Mrs. Hudson," Neville said.

"Yes, exactly. She'll be the best to tell him, not that he'll believe it, initially."

"Sounds like the Dursleys," Harry muttered. Neville chuckled.

"Yes, quiet," Mycroft said, and Neville frowned. Mycroft Holmes really did know too much. "But he will come around. I originally thought to try and stop him from his exploration, but I decided it might be better if he did."

"How so?" Harry asked.

"Dr. Watson will be a good gauge of how muggles will handle knowledge of wizards, and Sherlock will be good for finding holes in security…. If steered properly."

"And this is something you'll do?" Neville asked.

"Good heavens, no! Sadly, as the man who let the cat out of the bag is going to be the one to do it."

"Me?"

"Well, Mr. Potter as well, since you will be in school for a lot of it," Mycroft said.

"A lot of what?" Harry asked.

"I already told you, I'd hoped you were listening," Mycroft said, standing up. "Ah, Sherlock, glad to see you could come."

"You sent one of your people to tell me you could answer my question," Sherlock said, looking sullen. He glanced at Neville, looking at him with the same observant eyes as he had when he'd last seen the man. Then he looked at Harry Potter and turned up his scrutiny even more.

"Sherlock Holmes, my I introduce you to Neville Longbottom, Professor of Herbology at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardy, and Harry Potter, head of the Magical Law Enforcement, Auror's, office at the Ministry of Magic," Mycroft said.

A/N:

Happy Memorial Day Weekend! Let's talk schedules!

So, starting the week after this coming week I have two weeks of helping with and art day camp, so that might cut into my writing.

I'm leaving for Russia on the 14th of June. I'll be back on the 28th. I was very (very) productive when I was in England last year… but since the teacher seems to want us to speak Russian for 4 hours and then drag us out around St. Petersburg everyday… well I have no idea (and OMG! Pushkin Museum! Excited? Yes I am!)

8k words a day is hard, especially when I'm low on sleep because I keep just waking too soon because I'm either up late working, or waking up early because I want to work, or both! Professional writer mode is on, thankfully… but I'm writing fanfiction, what?

Apparently my computer didn't save the first thing I'd written for this chapter. Lucky I wasn't too much in.

You really want to make me happy? Tell people you like my stories, post them on tumblr or wherever… and then link it back here so I can get more views and reviews. Also, lots of reviews… I love you guys… averaging 4 reviews a chapter? A record for me! You guys are the very best!