Daniel frowned at Sam.
"You're talking about the Stargate…"
The way he said it made it a question, not a statement, and Carter shrugged.
"Why not? It makes sense."
"It doesn't make sense, Carter," Jack told her, scowling. "How would she know about it? Especially however long ago she made the prophecy? We've only known about it for ten years or so."
"But it was still around," Sam pointed out.
Surprisingly, it was Zip who shook his head.
"The path of the stars does not refer to your Stargate, Samantha Carter," he told her. "At least we do not believe it does."
Jack turned, as surprised as any of them.
"You know about the Stargate?"
Bane shrugged nonchalantly.
"We don't know much about it. It isn't something that interests us, after all. The stars in the skies above our own planet are all that our kind need."
"How did-"
"We have our own ways of knowing things, Major Carter," Zip told her, smiling.
"But the Secret Keeper-" Daniel started.
"Has nothing to do with my people," Zip told him. "We are immune to magic, after all. Even the magic of the Secret Keeper."
That was news to all of them – wizards included from the shocked looks on all of their faces. Except for Hagrid, who knew everything about pretty much any being or critter that lived in the Forest.
OOOOOOOOOOO
With an agile movement to keep himself from falling, Teal'c stepped out of the fireplace – a different fireplace than the one in Jack O'Neill's office. He looked around and recognized the room he was now standing in as Dumbledore's office. It looked almost exactly as it had the last time he'd been there – only there was another portrait on the wall. This one of Dumbledore himself. Which told Teal'c – who had actually read all the Harry Potter books – that Dumbledore was truly dead. It was the only way he'd have a portrait in the Headmaster's office.
The Dumbledore in the portrait was asleep, but Teal'c's sudden arrival startled all the other occupants, and there was a sudden symphony of alarmed voices.
"Be calm," he announced, moving away from the fireplace to make room for the others. "I am looking for one of the staff…"
"They're gone!" an old witch told him, brandishing her broomstick at him as if to threaten him – or maybe to defend herself from him. "You don't belong here…"
"I am Teal'c," he said as a yelp and a poof of soot announced the arrival of someone else. The Jaffa looked down and saw Jesse had been the first to follow him.
The wizard stood up, looking around with interest.
"Where are we?" he asked, curiously.
"In the office of the Headmaster of Hogwarts."
"Dumbledore's office!" Jesse said, awed.
"No longer."
"He's right," a voice said – a voice that didn't come from one of the pictures on the walls. Teal'c and the American wizard turned and saw that the door had opened, and Remus Lupin was standing in the doorway.
"Lupin…"
The wizard gave Teal'c a tired smile.
"Teal'c. It's good to-"
He was interrupted by the arrival of yet another visitor from the fireplace. Lance Truman tumbled out of the fireplace and landed in a heap with a muffled curse.
"I knew there was a reason I never tried that shit," he muttered, spitting out ashes and pulling himself to his feet.
Remus frowned at the odd accent and looked from the two men to Teal'c.
"Who are your companions, Teal'c? What are-"
"Lance Truman," Lance said, holding out his hand with a slight smile. "Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher at Ashton's."
Now Lupin's frown was confused. He'd never heard of the place – and was pretty sure he knew of all the wizard schools.
"Where?"
"It is a wizarding in Texas," Teal'c explained.
"What? Where?"
"Just outside of Houston to be exact," Jesse elaborated, extending his hand as well. "Jesse Walker, Headmaster of Ashton's school of witchcraft and wizardry."
"In the United States?"
"Exactly."
"I've never-"
The fireplace belched once more and Brandon tumbled out in an undignified heap, and lurched to his feet immediately.
"Wow! That's insane!"
Lupin turned to Teal'c, waiting, but Brandon was looking around the room not paying attention to any of them.
"This is Dumbledore's office, isn't it?" he asked. "It looks just like it was described in the-"
"Brandon…"
Jesse waved the younger man over impatiently.
"This is Brandon Steele," he said, introducing him to Lupin. "He's the riding instructor."
"Riding instructor?" Lupin asked, confused.
Brandon nodded as he took Lupin's hand in a friendly grip.
"Yup. I teach our kids to ride everything from bicycles, broomsticks, to their first cars, horses, steers and the occasional-"
"Wait a minute," a voice interrupted. This one did come from the wall – and it was impatient. "What are you doing here?"
The occupants of the room looked over and saw an angry looking wizard watching them from his portrait.
"We're here to help," Jesse said. "Voldemort's got to be stopped – before he becomes more than just a potential menace to my students as well…"
OOOOOOOOO
They all stared at the empty doorway for several long moments, shocked into silence by the sudden disappearance.
"Did you see that?" Dudley finally asked, nearly shouting. "I told him! I told him not to trust him, but he wouldn't lis-"
"Shut up, Dudley," Petunia snapped.
Shocked – since his mother had never, ever, been short with him – Dudley gaped at her.
"Come on," she said, heading for the stairway.
Vernon scowled, looking at Dudley and then over towards her retreating back.
"Where are you going?"
"To get Harry's owl."
"What?" Her husband looked up at her as if she'd suddenly grown another head. "Why?"
"We need to send a message to Hogwart's." she answered, reaching the top of the staircase. "Someone needs to know what happened."