Note: I do not own any of the characters and such, those are entirely JK Rowling's.

2. Getting answers

Stephanie was utterly confused. She must be dreaming, because this was the weirdest stuff she had ever experienced. She opened her eyes but couldn't see, as it was dark. She sighed and felt the comfortable bed. She relaxed, she was in bed and everything had been a very strange dream.

But then she heard a beep. And another. And another. Something was beeping right next to her. She tried to see where the beeping sound was coming from. Suddenly, she heard a door open and footsteps coming towards her. Her body tensed and she immediately knew, she was not at home in her bed, and her strange dream might not have been an actual dream.

Someone turned on the lights that blinded here and she quickly closed her eyes. 'Can you hear me? I have alerted the headmaster, he will be here soon' she heard someone say next to her.

Her mind started racing. Where was she? Who is this woman? What headmaster? What happened, what could she remember? She tried to see her dream in her head again, but she could barely remember. Everything was vague and fuzzy. She really started to worry now. She was looking around through squinted eyes but the light was hurting her too much.

She heard another door open and multiple footsteps come in. 'How is she Poppy?' a man asked. Poppy? Stephanie recognized that name. Poppy dimmed the lights as she noticed the light was hurting Stephanie. 'She just woke, she hasn't said anything yet' Poppy answered.

Stephanie looked around and could see the room better now. She saw multiple beds in the room, all with their own bedside table. Curtains surrounded the beds for privacy. But no one besides her was using the beds, so all curtains were opened.

Then she looked up and saw four faces, all staring at her. Four very familiar faces. Instant panic. Fear returned to her eyes. Stephanie started breathing quickly. This could not be. Everything suddenly seemed to be vibrating. She felt fuzzy. She needed to think but she couldn't. All she could think and feel was panic and fear.

She struggled with the blankets. Before any of them could ask her a question she got out of the bed. She wanted to run, but they were blocking her way. She tried to get past them, but the man in black would not stand aside.

Even more panic, more fear. Things in the hospital wing started to shake now. Stephanie was having a panic attack. She was breathing quickly, too quick and she felt like there was not enough air. She started to get light headed. She tried to get out and get past the man who was standing in her way again. He grabbed her by her arms. "We just want to ask you some questions,'' the other man said.

The hands on her shoulders forcing her in place were too much for her. 'Let me GOOOOOOO' she screamed. The others could almost see the panic radiating from her. Tears were streaming down her face. The walls and the floors were shaking now as well. Vials exploded, curtains ripped and the doors trembled in their hinges. 'STUN HER NOW!' The last thing Stephanie saw was a flash of red before her eyes felt shut.

'Well that went well' Minerva said sarcastically. Poppy examined Stephanie again. 'She is fine, but she had a panic attack.'

Albus had not expected this. A stranger had suddenly appeared in Hogwarts, and he had guessed she might have come here to attack them. But she seemed scared, terrified even. He sighed. 'Why was she so afraid? We are in her past, she must not be surprised by anything I would guess.'

Snape looked at the headmaster as he put away his wand after he had just stunned the woman. 'It looked like she recognized us, and that she was afraid of us. Did you notice how her eyes widened with fear as soon as she looked at us?' Albus nodded, he had seen it as well.

But why? What could have happened in the future that this young woman would be so afraid of them?

'We need answers but we cannot use legilimency as long as she is unconscious. What can we do, Poppy?' Poppy thought for a minute before she answered: 'I can give her a heavy dose of the calming draught, hopefully that will keep her from panicking again. I think restraining her again would be unwise, as I don't think my hospital wing can handle any more damage from her outburst' she said as she looked around at the destruction Stephanie had caused with her accidental magic.

Albus thought about this while he looked at the destroyed hospital wing as well and then nodded. 'Do it'. It was highly unusual for an adult to have such a destructive magical outburst, but they would discuss that later. For now they needed to talk to Miss Saxton and get some answers.

Poppy took three vials and emptied them in Stephanie's mouth. With a flick of her wand she made her swallow. She looked at the others, 'ready?' They all took their wand out, just in case and nodded. 'Renervate'.

After a few seconds Stephanie slowly opened her eyes. She felt the panic coming back to her as she saw she was still in the presence of four too familiar faces, but at the same time she felt numb. Her eyes widened at the sight of them but she could now control her breathing. 'Miss Saxton' Albus started, 'we would like to ask you some questions, is that okay?' Stephanie nodded. She was still scared but remained in control now. The others lowered their wands.

'As you can imagine we were very surprised and shocked to find you apparating into our great hall. When we tried to identify you we found this' Albus said as he held up her pass. 'You are from the future.' It was not a question.

Stephanie didn't know what to say, as she herself didn't even understand what had happened. This was all too strange for her to comprehend. How are these people in front of her real? It can't be! Was she still dreaming? She didn't know, because she felt very much awake. What was going on?

Albus continued: 'It surprised us even more to see your fear and panic once you were awake. Which makes me believe you had no intention of coming here, is that correct?' Stephanie nodded. 'Can you tell us what happened?' Stephanie shook her head this time. Confusion on all faces around her.

How could she explain what had happened if she didn't even know? What should she say? Stephanie struggled to find the words. 'This can't be real' she finally said. Even more confusion on the faces. 'I know you, all of you.' she said.

'From your future?' Minerva asked. Stephanie looked at her. 'Yes. Well actually, no.' she said. They didn't seem to understand. 'You are not real.' she added. This time it was Severus who spoke: 'What do you mean woman, we are standing right here, of course we are real' he snarled.

Stephanie didn't know what to say. How could she explain to these people that she knows them, but not really? How could she tell people they're book characters?

'What is the last thing you remember before you appeared in our great hall Miss Saxton?' Albus asked.

Stephanie thought hard, bringing back her memories from the strange men at work. 'I was at work. I sat in my office behind my computer when a group of strange men walked into my department's hallway. They were looking into every office until they came into my office. One of them stepped forward, he put his finger on my forehead. He gave my head a small nudge and then everything turned dark. When I opened my eyes again I was in the great hall.'

Albus thought about what Stephanie just told them for a moment. 'Could I perhaps see your memories for myself Miss Saxton?'

Stephanie got nervous. 'You mean you want to use legilimency on me?' she asked. Albus nodded. She wasn't sure. That seemed very scary but somehow she still felt calm. She nodded. 'Okay but I have never done this before. What do I need to do?'

Albus stepped forward. 'Just try to think of your memory of these men. I will enter your mind and see your memory as if I were there. Don't worry, I will not look into other memories. Ready?' Stephanie sat up and nodded while she looked Albus in the eyes. 'Legilimens.'

Everything was quiet for a while in the hospital wing as Albus was looking at Stephanie's memory. The others eyed each other nervously, anxious to find out what Albus would see in the memory.

It didn't take long before they were finished. Albus looked confused, amazed and surprised all at the same time. 'You're a muggle?' he asked. Stephanie nodded. 'No she is not, I have seen her magical core, she cannot be a muggle' Poppy exclaimed. 'Not to mention the destruction we just witnessed, she is a witch' Severus added as he mentioned to the rest of the hospital wing.

Stephanie felt confused and ashamed. Had she done that? She murmured a quiet sorry. But she wasn't a witch right? She would have known? She was almost 30 now so that should have been discovered years ago. What was she even thinking, magic isn't even real. What was going on?!

She started breathing more quickly again as she felt the panic returning to her again. Poppy handed her a vial, 'drink it, it will help you calm down.' Stephanie eyed the vial warily, but drunk it. Immediately she felt a lot calmer again.

'Albus what is going on? Who is this witch? Severus asked. They had been more than patient with this intruder, they needed answers. Now!

Albus had never been so confused in his life. And that was something, as he had always praised himself for being so omniscient. He chose not to answer Severus yet. 'Miss Saxton, how do you know us?'

Stephanie bit her lip. 'I know you all, because, well… you're characters from a book. You're fiction.' Albus' confusion disappeared from his face, instead came amusement. His eyes started twinkling again and a small smile showed. The others however were still confused, Severus looked downright offended.

Albus lifted his wand again. 'May I? It might be easier this way, instead of you trying to explain.' Stephanie nodded, that would indeed be easier. 'Try to think of the books.' he instructed. 'Legilimens.'

Albus saw memories flashing by of books, and movies even! Bits and pieces of magic and Hogwarts, and a young raven haired boy with a lightning bolt scar. Flashes of the future, of his future appeared in front of his eyes. He tried not to look too much at it, as knowledge of the future could be dangerous. But now he finally understood what was going on.

'I understand now Miss Saxton, why you were so shocked to see us. May I call you Stephanie?' She nodded. Albus turned to the others. 'It seems Stephanie here is not only from the future, but from another dimension as well. A dimension in which we are mere book characters and magic doesn't exist.' he explained with a look of amusement. 'She knows us and our future, to a certain amount. If the future she knows will actually happen is not sure. We will have to tread carefully. Some things seem to have already changed. Seeing as Stephanie was a muggle, but is now a witch.' Stephanie looked at him in shock. She knew this man was smart, and hearing him say this, finally made her believe it a little.