A/N: Sooo… Can't say much about this. By the way, Death looks like Tom Hiddleston in the clothes Loki wore in Stuttgart. Hope you like it.

I opened my eyes to find myself in what looked like a living room. I was sitting in an armchair, a fire crackling in the fireplace. Two other chairs were standing there, the one next to me empty, the one across from me occupied by Death. A coffee table stood between the chairs, a tray with tea ready on it. Death smiled at me.

"Hello, Mistress. I see you have almost completely drained your core." He greeted me. "You could say your body went into emergency shutdown. Tea?"

There was no way of waking up before my core was recovered so I nodded.

"Milk and two sugars please." I said and took the cup offered by Death. "Are we expecting company?" I asked with a glance at the third chair.

"Your Captain Kirk is going to join us soon." Death replied, taking a sip of his tea.

I took a sip of my own and hummed at the taste. You just couldn't get decent tea in North America.

"I guess he's not really going to die as you didn't tell me about his impending death like you did with Pike."

"It's not his destiny and I don't really want Fate to get cross with me." Death explained.

I smirked. I knew he had a thing for Fate. After everything that happened with Voldemort Fate and I got along pretty well. I leaned back in my chair, crossing my legs.

"I guess everything is going to be as alright as possible under the circumstances." I sighed. "I saw many crew members die while we were hurtling down to earth."

"They are at peace, Amaryllis. You have had no part in their deaths as you weren't the one to destroy the core, causing the power to fail."

I nodded and was silent, sipping my tea. I knew Death was right but that didn't stop my hero complex from making me feel like I could have done more. A sigh escaped me and I shook my head just as the door opened and a reaper led Jim into the room. I smiled at the confused man.

"Jim. How nice of you to join us for tea." I said. "Have a seat."

Jim frowned and sat down in the empty chair.

"Jim, Death. Death, James T. Kirk." I introduced while pouring the tea. "Jim? Milk? Sugar?"

"Is this real?" Jim asked. "Or is it in my head?"

I smirked to myself, tempted to reply the same thing Dumbledore told me years ago but refrained from it. Instead I pushed a fresh cup of tea into Jim's hands and sat back.

"It is real, Jim." I said softly. "As real as the Enterprise and Khan."

"Where are we then?"

"This place has many names." Death explained. "You might know it as Limbo."

"Limbo? So I'm dead?"

"Not yet. If you were you wouldn't be having tea with us." I shook my head. "We are just waiting for our bodies to recover. Death assured me that you're not going to die."

"What about you?"

"Let that be my concern. I drained my energy reserves so my body essentially went into emergency stop. Drink your tea, Jim, or it will get cold."

Jim blinked and took a sip of his tea. I just looked at him and waited for the inevitable question.

"What are you?" He finally asked. "I mean, you can change into that eagle-lion-thingy…"

"That was a griffin. The cat was me too, by the way." I told Jim with a smile. "I'm as human as you are, Jim. Just with a few… benefits."

"Benefits?"

"Powers." I clarified. "Powers that have been in humans since the beginning. Well, we're a minority of the human population, really. I think about ten percent or something."

"What kind of powers?"

"Do you believe in magic, Jim?"

"Magic like wand-waving, broom-riding, cauldron- stirring fairytale-witches?"

"Yes, like that. Maybe not exactly like the witches in fairytales. But we have robes and pointy hats and the whole thing. There's an entire hidden community of witches and wizards all over Earth with governments, schools, hospitals and sports."

"Why do you hide?" Jim seemed confused.

"Salem ringing any bells, Jim? In 1662 the International Confederation of Wizards signed the International Statue of Secrecy of the Wizarding World. Although the non-magical humans – we call them muggles, by the way – almost never caught a real witch or wizard and if they did most of them could easily escape the wizards from back then didn't want to take any risks." I explained. "This is why the entire magical community went into hiding under spells and wards to keep ourselves undetected by muggles. Advanced technology that isn't shielded short-circuits in areas if high magical density. I've shielded the entire Enterprise and every bit of technology on board – including personal PADDs - during the repairs after the Nero incident. She's the only ship in the entire fleet that could withstand an army of witches and wizards as long as I'm alive."

Jim set his teacup down and sighed.

"Back on the Vengeance, what you told Marcus…"

"Three curses, Jim. They are known as the Unforgivables and outlawed. The Cruciatus activates all of your pain receptors at once. It feels as if liquid fire gets poured into your veins while you get stabbed by burning hot knifes. Five minutes under that curse and you will suffer after effects for months and nightmares of the pain for years. Ten minutes and you will suffer from the effects for the rest of your life. Fifteen minutes and your mind inevitably breaks, leaving you in an almost vegetable state. The Imperiatus controls your mind and actions. And the Death Curse is pretty self-explanatory."

"So… are you more a Glinda- or Wicked-Witch-of-the-West-type?"

I raised an eyebrow.

"Really, Jim? Black or White? I consider myself more light grey. I don't like using dark spells but if it's necessary to save people I will do it."

"She has a temper worse than Fate." Death commented over his teacup and I shot him a glare.

"Says the guy who could kill every living thing in the universe with a thought but doesn't have the balls to ask the woman he has a major crush on out."

"This is surreal." Jim muttered.

"For me this is pretty normal." I shrugged.

"Amaryllis, Jim will wake up shortly." Death said.

I nodded to him and leaned forward.

"Jim, you can choose now: You can either forget about this thing, about me being a witch and we go back to what it was like before, or you keep the knowledge you gained here."

"Will something happen to me if I keep it?"

I smiled.

"No. Only your view of the world will maybe change a little. It's time for you to wake up now, Jim."

Jim faded from the room. I emptied my cup and rose from my seat.

"We'll see each other around, I guess." I told Death who just smiled and inclined his head to me before vanishing as I found my way back into my consciousness.

The first thing I got aware of was a warm, rough, calloused hand gently carding through my hair. There was the sound of a steadily beeping heart monitor but it was overlaid with something else… Scotty's voice. The familiar, loved Scottish burr was reciting Gaelic poetry, telling of heroes of old and their victories. Scotty's other hand was holding mine, rubbing small circles on its back. I opened the connection and stirred, causing the hand in my hair to stop and join the hand clutching mine. I blinked my eyes open and looked at Scotty, feeling his warm relief wash through me.

"Hey." I whispered, my voice hoarse and dry.

Scotty quickly grabbed a glass of water standing on the bedside table and gave it to me. I gulped the cool liquid down, feeling better now. I sunk back into the pillows.

"Don't ye dare scarin' me like that again, lass." Scotty scolded softly. "Ye just dropped there an' the connection slammed closed like the door of a teenager's room! What happened?"

"You know I didn't sleep before the whole Khan thing. Well, I pretty much used magic, which in its essence is pure energy, to keep me on my feet. I drained my magical core and my body essentially put itself into emergency shutdown. How long was I out?"

"About as long as Jim. Two weeks, lass."

"Not the longest time I've ever been unconscious." I shrugged. "Remind me to tell you the story of the Philosopher's Stone one day."

The door of the room hissed open and Bones entered, wearing a white hospital uniform with the Starfleet badge on it.

"Look who's back in the land of the livin'" He said in his gruff southern drawl. "Scotty was worried sick about you."

"Just needed to recharge my batteries." I replied. "I take it you caught Khan?"

"He's frozen again, now." Bones replied, taking a tricorder and waving it over me. "Jim that bastard almost got himself killed in the process. Your vitals are normal, you're physically completely fine."

"Does that mean you're clearing me?"

"No. You were unconscious for two weeks."

"I'm fine." I insisted.

"That's still my decision."

I huffed in irritation and crossed my arms.

"My God, you're worse than Jim. At least you're not allergic against ninety percent of the medication I could give you."

He shook his head and went to the door, intending on opening it when it opened from the outside and the twins came in, wearing the magenta jackets they always wore at the WWW shops. They gave me identical grins.

"It is wonderful to see you, Amy." George said.

"Absolutely marvellous." Fred added.

I laughed at Bones' expression.

"Fred, George, this is Dr. Leonard McCoy, the Chief Medical Officer of the USS Enterprise." I introduced. "Doctor, these are my brothers…"

"Gred and Forge Weasley, at your service." The twins said in perfect unison with an exaggerated, perfectly synchronised bow.

"How is our silent partner?" George asked.

"Will she -" Fred started.

"- ever be able-" George continued.

"- to play the violin again?" They finished together and I couldn't keep the broad grin off my face.

Bones sent me a helpless look.

"Yes, they're always like this." I answered the unspoken question.

The doctor shook his head in exasperation.

"I pity your parents." He said. "Raising those two must have been hell."

"We're not related by blood." I explained. "I'm an orphaned only child but the Weasleys treat me like one of their own. The people I call my brothers and sisters are my family in all but blood."

George suddenly slapped his forehead.

"We almost forgot the reason for our visit, Forge!" He exclaimed.

"Merlin, Gred, you're right! We brought something for you!"

With that they fetched a box from the hospital corridor.

"A Marauder Emergency Package."

"Including but not limited to the most essential pranking supplies, –"

"- Honeyduke's finest for the sweet tooth, -"

"- and a few of WWW's newest products exclusively for our silent partner to use first before they go to sale."

Bones left the room, still shaking his head. I grinned and accepted a tight hug from the twins.

"You planning on opening a side branch of WWW in San Francisco?" I asked. "Or why are you wearing your work jackets?"

"But of course, sister dear." Fred grinned.

"I'm sorry, Ames, but we have to go." George said.

"Running a big business, I know"

We shared another hug and then the twins were gone. Scotty turned back to me.

"I like the two but I'm glad we're alone again."

He leaned forward and kissed me to which I responded happily.

On Bones' orders I had to spend the next week in hospital. Scotty was always very reluctant to leave my side but I managed to get him to go sleep in the apartment. Thankfully Bones allowed me to have my PADD with me so I wouldn't die of boredom. I was also allowed to walk around the hospital and visited Pike one day. I was wearing one of those hospital gowns with a long, flowing, silken, willow green nightgown over it. I knocked, not expecting an answer.

"Come in!" My mentor's familiar voice called out.

I entered the room to find him sitting in the bed with pillows supporting him. He smiled warmly and beckoned me closer.

"I'm glad you're better, Uncle Chris." I said softly. "I heard it was a close call."

I sat down next to the bed.

"I heard you were unconscious for two weeks." He replied.

"I drained my core by using magic to keep me on my feet through the whole thing. That's why I passed out." I shrugged. "Scotty was worried sick, according to Bones – I mean Dr. McCoy."

"I can imagine. That poor man is head over heels in love with you." Chris chuckled.

I smiled.

"As I am with him. He's a wonderful, funny, intelligent man who doesn't see the Girl-Who-Lived, who doesn't see the daughter of James and Lily but Amy. He… he is much like you in that aspect. I mean, most people I meet who know who I am don't see past the scar, or mum's eyes."

I shook my head.

"And most muggles think I'm weak because of my stature."

"And they get taught a lesson if they manage to piss you off." Chris grinned. "I remember that one cadet who harassed you that one time in your second year. You broke his wrist because he wouldn't take his hand off your backside."

I grinned, remembering that particular incident.

"To be fair I told him three times to take his hand away if he wanted to keep it."

Chris chuckled.

"Whenever you're like that you remind me so much of Lily. She was a force to be reckoned with when angry."

"Sirius told me the same. 'Girls are scary, vicious and do not play fair.' He told Ron once."

Chris was full-on laughing now.

"I can imagine him saying that. He always had a knack for angering your mother."

I stayed for another half an hour and we talked about everything and nothing before I returned to my own room.

As soon as Bones cleared me to get out of hospital I threw my clothes on and left the place as quickly as possible. Having spent a considerable amount of time in the hospital wing at Hogwarts had made me very distasteful of anything resembling a hospital. I knew I was a horrible patient but that didn't stop me. Scotty and I walked out into the fresh morning air and I smiled, looking at the clear blue sky above San Francisco. Scotty and I walked to our apartment. It felt very surreal, seeing the people around us go about with their lives when there had been a madman running through the city only weeks ago. I smiled when Scotty enthusiastically talked about the enhancements he would add to the Enterprise during the repairs that would take much longer than last time since the Vengeance had all but completely fried her.

"Lass?" He asked after we had been silent for a few moments.

"Hmmm?"

"I want ta get married before we start on that five-year-mission."

I blinked for a moment before smiling widely.

"Me too, Scotty." I replied. "I want to spend the rest of my life with you."

Scotty grinned, picked me up and whirled me around before pulling me into a fierce kiss in the middle of a busy street in San Francisco. I heard some people go "awww" but ignored it completely in favour of the man I loved and the happiness we had together.

The next morning I woke up being spooned by Scotty who had buried his face in my hair and was murmuring in his sleep. My head rested on his right arm while his left arm was slung tightly around my waist, keeping me close to him. I sighed contently and closed my eyes again, snuggling closer. But my cosy morning was broken by the sound of claws tapping on the window. I groaned and reluctantly opened my eyes, looking over to the window to see an owl with the Daily Prophet tied to its leg. I carefully wiggled out of my fiancé's grasp before padding over to the window on bare feet and opening it. The bird swooped in and landed on the drawer, sticking its leg out to me. I shook my head, taking the newspaper and paying. The owl ruffled its feathers and flew out of the window again. I was tempted to just set the newspaper aside and crawl back into bed to Scotty when my gaze landed on the moving picture that took up half of the front page. It showed Scotty and me the day before, kissing, smiling and generally being happy.

GIRL-WHO-LIVED SEEN WITH MYSTERY MAN IN SAN FRANCISCO

The headline declared. My face twisted into a snarl.

"I'm going to kill her." I hissed when I saw the name of the journalist who wrote the article: Rita Skeeter.

"Lass?"

I turned to Scotty who frowned at me, obviously feeling and seeing my anger.

"They can't let me live my life without plastering it across the headlines!" I exclaimed, throwing the Prophet on the bed. "And I thought I had gotten that damn harpy of a woman to never publish anything about me again."

Scotty picked the newspaper up and skimmed over the article that was shamelessly blown up and filled with rumours while I paced in front of the bed.

"That's a load of bullshit." Scotty commented, tossing the paper aside and standing up.

He wrapped his arms around me and I sighed, leaning my head against his chest to hear is heartbeat.

"You should have seen the lies she spread about me when I was fourteen and fifteen. According to her I had slept my way through half of the male population of Hogwarts." I mumbled. "She made me out to be a fame-seeking whore. Then Hermione found out she was an unregistered Animagus – yes, Animagi have to be registered at the Ministry to make sure they don't abuse their ability – and threatened to alert the Ministry if Skeeter ever published anything like that about one of us ever again. That reminds me…"

I pulled my communicator out and dialled Hermione.

"Mione? Have you read the Prophet of today yet?"

"Already at it, Amy. Don't worry. I'll tear that woman apart. We've stopped any more copies from being delivered or sold."

"You're the best, Mione. Tear that harpy to the ground until she's got nothing left."

"You bet on that."

I ended the call and let out a deep breath.

"I'm lucky to have friends like Hermione. She and Ron stood by my side through all the shit that happened ever since I entered the magical world."

Scotty just held me tighter, letting me feel his support.

"I'm sorry for pulling you into my problems with the magical press. I told you what they were like to me. After the War I released a press statement with the help of Ironclaw. He still helps me whenever I have problems with publicity."

"It's nae a problem, lass. I signed up for this when I asked ye ta marry me."

I smiled and took a deep breath of Scotty's unique scent before pulling out of his embrace.

"Well, now we're fully awake, anyway." I remarked. "We're not needed at the moment. That means I can start preparations for our wedding."

"Do ye need ta?"

"Scotty, this is going to be a half-magical wedding. As far as I'm aware your family knows nothing about magic. Which means I'm going to have to make sure the wedding doesn't break the Statue of Secrecy. I need to oversee all the preparations." I grinned and pecked his lips. "Don't worry, I won't become bride-zilla."

Scotty grinned back and pulled me in for a deeper kiss.

"Never said ye would."

I smiled.

"I'll tell everyone that we want to get married soon. As soon as Hermione's done with Skeeter she'll probably start organising the hell out of our wedding." I couldn't help but chuckle at the thought. "You should have seen her organise her own wedding."

Scotty laughed and I smiled softly before pulling out of his embrace. I quickly got dressed and started making breakfast for the two of us.

A/N: Hope you liked it. Reviews are love. 'Till next chapter!