"Witches and wizards tend not to tell everyone about their special abilities," Magnifica York said. Hermione hurried to keep up with the witch's fast pace. "There is no such thing as the International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy anymore, but there's a silent agreement to keep us hidden. If you trust a person, you can tell her about you, even about your past. Society has become really tolerant, and with all the alien interactions there's zero chance of another witch-hunting century. I think we just keep it up to feel special, and to keep our administration autonomous. This system has worked for more than 150 years now, and I think you'll be able to live with it. Avoid performing magic in public areas, but live your private life as you want. We trust every member of the wizarding society to handle this responsibility with care."

"Are there any witches or wizards on the Enterprise?" Hermione asked. This question had popped up in her head this morning. Could it be that she had even interacted with one?

Mrs. York conjured a scroll of parchment from the air and read it while walking.

"No, it doesn't seem so," she eventually said. "As I'm sure you're aware, we're old fashioned. Exploring and science are things most wizards have no interest in. We find a new place to live, we populate it, we build a community. That's what we do. There's a squib somewhere among the security officers, if that helps."

"Not really, but thank you," Hermione said. It would have been nice to talk to someone on the Enterprise with no secrets between them. Well, she would cope. Her arm began itching again, as it did from time to time, but she repressed the urge to scratch it.

"We're here," Magnifica York said. "I will leave you on your own now. You'll find back to your quarters, will you? I will personally bring you your papers in the evening. Until then, have fun!"

The woman turned around, and Hermione faced the shopping mall with a silent sigh.

"Oh, and one last thing," Magnifica York called back, one foot already in the elevator. "Buy a lot of conditioner for that hair of yours! The recycled air on a starship is dry. Trust me; you'll be better off with a lot of hair-care products."

Although Hermione had the feeling that hair care was the least of her problems, she smiled back at the witch. "I'll take your advice to heart," she said.

oOoOoOo

Hermione had been told that she was free to buy anything she needed. For this purpose they had given her a brown plastic card. "We care about our fellow witches and wizards, especially if they're from the past," the man at the counter had said. "The embassy's budget will cope. You're Hermione Granger, a war hero, a legend! The admission board would give you anything you want, so a little cash is the least we can offer. May I have an autograph?" Hermione had dutifully written her name on the picture of his daughter, and the man's gratitude had been almost too much to bear. She guessed she would never get used to being famous in the future.

Well, now she was standing in a huge hall, with stores as far as she could see. This would be a fairytale come true for Lavender Brown, but she was Hermione Granger. What did she really need?

After a few stores, Hermione resigned. Rifling through the clothes hadn't really helped her – they were weird and strange. It didn't help that every race seemed to have a different fashion, and she didn't know if that short dress was meant to be worn by a human or a Klingon. In the end, she only bought two jeans, sweatshirts and t-shirts, and in the rush of adrenaline, a ball gown. It looked nice. Maybe she could take it home, once the occasion finally arrived.

oOoOoOo

When Magnifica York visited her in the evening, Hermione already awaited her.

"I got everything you need," the witch cheerily greeted her, but halted when she noticed Hermione's somber mood. "Is everything alright, Hermione?" She asked.

"Yes," Hermione smiled nervously. "But I was thinking about it a lot since yesterday, and there's something I need to ask you. It's a favor, and you don't have to do it, but it would mean a lot to me."

Magnifica put the documents on the table and let herself fall on Hermiones bed. She gracefully arranged her long purple robe around her and said: "Spill it out, Hermione. It can't be that bad. I'm intrigued."

"It's about blood magic," Hermione said. Magnifica's only reaction was the raising of her eyebrows. "Really? You surprise me. That sounds indeed serious."

"It's not harmful," Hermione hastily reassured the witch. "It is just… I need a second party… and a drop of blood of the second party, to reverse a certain spell." Then she told the Head of the Department of Mysteries what it was all about.

"I suspect you're aware of my history, but there are scars on my arm. Scars in the form of letters, which spell the word 'Mudblood'. It's not a beautiful sight. Harry Potter, my best friend, helped me to cover them permanently, so that they would be invisible even when I'm asleep or unconscious. It was easier than to conceal them regularly. I mean, it was a great idea, because they would have stirred up a lot of questions I didn't want to answer when I accidentally dropped myself off on the Enterprise, but now… I will still cover them when in public, but I'll know that they are there. They are a part of who I am. I probably won't meet another wizard or witch in the next five months, so now is the time to ask. Will you help me, Magnifica?"

It didn't take long for the witch to come to a conclusion. "Of course I will help you."

oOoOo

"And here's your passport. I promise, all the paperwork is done, and you're free to travel anywhere you want in this universe." Magnifica York paused at Hermione's expression. "Oh, that sounded more dramatically than I expected. Well, I tend to forget that you're not used to a world which has literally no boundaries. You will get used to it. Anyways, you're registered as Hermione Granger in both the wizarding and the normal lists. Also, we granted you diplomatic status. Starfleet has to protect you."

Hermione smiled gratefully. Her scars were again concealed behind a temporary charm, but seeing had been a strange reminder that her past was true. She hadn't looked at them for such a long time that she had nearly forgotten how ragged they were. When Hermione looked at them, they didn't remind her of healed skin, but the ugliness of a fresh wound, and the brutality with which it had been created. This time, however, the memory of what Bellatrix had done to her didn't leave her short-breathed and panicked. This time, she was sure, there wouldn't be any nightmares. She had grown, and her mind had healed – at least a little bit.

The weight of the prophecy in her backpack was reassuring. It would be her compass. This was another improvement: In this century, the person the prophecy was meant for could listen to it over and over again. Maybe a few of the problems in her time wouldn't even have arisen if they hadn't been forced to rely on the memories of people who had heard the prophecy a single time.

"Thank you for everything, Magnifica," Hermione said. This was probably the last time Hermione would see Magnifica York ever again. It was a weird feeling. Strangely, however, she had slowly come to terms with her fate. Hermione hoped there would be a way to reconciliate with the Enterprise's crew. Why was she so keen on seeing Doctor McCoy again?

"We care for our fellow witches and wizards," the witch simply said, using exactly the same words as the wizard whose photograph Hermione had signed. "You'll never be on your own. Have fun on the way. Everything will be fine. It was a pleasure to meet you."

"I'm glad I met you," Hermione said. "I wish you all the best."

"Have a safe journey, greet my sister for me, and watch out for Nargles. Starships tend to be infested by them. The funnels are their favorite habitat."

Hermione gaped as the woman left. Then she had to chuckle. Either this witch was as peculiar as her old schoolmate, or Luna had been right after all.

oOoOoOo

AN: Thank you all for your kind and honest reviews!

123a456e

PappyOldGuy Thank you for your encouragement. That was some solid writing advice. Fanfiction is a great place to try "what ifs", and also a cool playground for practising language and writing.

Aniklan8 No, not all of them are, but I'm trying my best and I'm glad you enjoy it!

Guest

guest

peachx89 Here's the second interlude, but soon we'll be back on the Enterprise. By the way, you wrote the 100th review! :D

kossboss

emma3milkanen

Areader thank you.

i lovedifferentmixesup thanks!

Jellybean Not completely ridiculous, I'm afraid, but back on the Enterprise nevertheless!

Amy Well, he's not a main character, so to speak. He's just important to her, and it shows that Hermione's not like "whoops I'm in the future, fantastic!" but has a life left behind and waiting for her. It's not a wonderful one, but Harry is a constant for her, so consequently she thinks of him from time to time. And yeah, that's the McCoy charm. :)

Scarlet Dewdrops Oh, I love how you already guessed a little bit. Indeed, her interests are set, and we will see how she will be allowed to put her skills to use.

jillybilly99 Thank you :) Jim's great to look at, but he's... not exactly the man for something serious, I think. He's still quite loveable, though.

Guest/Guest (You're the same person, aren't you? Always hard to tell with guests :D) Actually, I know. I grew up watching TOS in German, and I think "Pille" was a great translation of McCoy's nickname. Are you German or Austrian?