The Pivotal Five

Summary: Five great stories come together in an epic imbalance that sets the world of fantasy on its side. Each people from each story must learn to put their differences aside and work together to save their own world, and the world of reality.

Last episode: An owl collapsed before making its way to its destination, and Jack makes an interception, on his way to adventure.

Chapter 11: Doe Browns Meet Emerald Greens

"Come on, Harry, we haven't visited Hagrid in ages," Ron urged. Harry was silent and brooding.

"Why? What news have we to tell him of? Why are visiting him?" he asked without tone.

"Because he's our friend," Hermione reminded. Her voice bordered on hysterical. She was very concerned about Harry's state of mind.

Since Ron's brush with danger and death, Harry had been cold and detached with anyone. No one knew why, but Hermione and Ron had to pester him day after day to get him to open up to them. Finally, when he had, he had confessed that Ron was a target because of his association with him. If he slimmed down the amount of targets, people's lives would be saved. Hermione had to tell him that everyone was a target with Voldemort; Harry was no special person, especially with Voldemort's ignorance of the rest of the prophecy. Harry had told them about it after he showed them the Black Dimension Machine. Harry was still determined to walk his road on his own, but Hermione and Ron refused to let him.

Harry shrugged, and followed them down to the Entrance gates. "Granger, Weasley, Potter," they heard, and saw Professor Minerva McGonagall. "What are you three doing about at this time of night?"

"We're going to visit Hagrid," Hermione explained.

"No, you will not," said the stern professor. "Strange happenings are occurring at this very minute. Hogwarts has muggle intruders. This hasn't happened in the history of our time. You will not leave the building."

"Muggle intruders? Professor, how?" Hermione spoke up.

"That information is privy to not even me, Miss Granger. The only thing I know is that we've rounded up the lot of them, except for their leader. We've no idea as to his whereabouts, so you are to stay within the building for safety reasons."

The three nodded as one and took to the other corridor.

"How do Muggles even see this place?" Ron asked. "Isn't supposed to be guarded and unplottable?"

"Among a good many other enchantments," Hermione added.

The spark of life came to Harry. "We should find their captain," he suggested with a glint in his green eyes.

"Are you mad?" Hermione couldn't believe it. What was he thinking?

"We should find him," he repeated. "He shouldn't be that difficult to miss. Besides, you two want to visit Hagrid. We can't until this man's found. He's a Muggle, we're Wizards. He can't be that dangerous."

"What if he's got a gun, Harry? Then what?" Hermione reminded. "You've forgotten what it's like to be a Muggle. They're not stupid, remember? They just happen to be missing the only advantage we have on them. They've gotten along fine without magic. They can even cause chaos and death without magic. What makes you think we're smarter and stronger than them? Just because we're magic?"

"Hermione's right, Harry. Muggles are ingenious. We might be dealing with a mastermind," Ron snorted. He found it all a joke. "You never know. This Muggle might be the smartest of them all. He might be descended from the great Muggle Alfred Einstein," he laughed.

"That's Albert Einstein, Ron, and it's not funny!"

All three fell silent when they heard footsteps coming towards them. Hiding behind a statue of a griffin, they saw a girl turn the corner. She wore clothes that in themselves were anachronisms. The breeches and shoes seemed to belong to the middle sixteen hundreds. Her dark brown hair was curly and thick, her eyes large and dark.

The girl stopped, and scanned the new hallway. "I know there are people here. I heard you talking before I turned the corner." she said in their accent.

Hermione walked out first. "Hello. I'm Hermione Granger." She extended her right hand, keeping her left hand inside her robes.

The girl gave her a suspicious glance. "Ann Turner. Do you live in this castle?" she asked, not taking the hand offered to her.

"In a matter of speaking, yes. This castle is a school called Hogwarts. A boarding school," she explained, finally dropping her arm.

Ann nodded. "That's what it looks like. I've seen a number of other students, all in varying ages. How old are you?"

"Sixteen," Harry answered as he entered the open. "I'm Harry Potter," he introduced. His first thoughts were This girl is very pretty, and Wonder where she comes from.

She looked at him with disdain for a second, but then found she couldn't look at him for a longer period of time. "Have any of you found Captain Sparrow?" she asked dubiously.

"We didn't know there was a Captain Sparrow," Ron responded, and he came out from behind the statue. "I'm Ron Weasley, by the way. Pleasure to meet you."

"Charmed." It was said shortly and coldly. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I must be going." She turned to run, but found herself heading straight into Professor Snape.

"Housing intruders, Potter? How predictable. The four of you are to follow me," he commanded, and grabbed Ann's arm to keep her from running away.

"Let go of me, you lout! If Captain Sparrow hears that you've been manhandling me, there'll be hell to pay!" she screamed, as she fought against him.

"Watch your language, wretched girl. Ten points from Gryffindor for it. You will respect the authority of this building, as your Captain Sparrow is in custody as well." He barely had to strengthen his hold, and she couldn't get away from him.

Hermione was just about to ask why Snape took points from Gryffindor when Ann didn't even have a house, but she suddenly remembered that this was Snape, and that explained everything.

Harry was slightly disturbed. The girl had caused him to feel things he hadn't felt before, not even with Cho, whom he'd kissed. All she had to do was look at him, and he felt the back of his neck grow warm. Now Snape was dragging her to the rest of her crew, what would the teachers do with them? There were so many strange people at Hogwarts, now. What would the Ministry have to say? There were far too many questions, and not near enough answers.

As they neared the entrance to the Headmaster's office, McGonagall was levitating an unconscious man in the same general direction.

"Any identification on him?" Snape asked before he said the password.

"Only a tattoo of the letter P, and a bird flying in the sunrise. We've figured out that this must be their captain. I'll brief you on his belongings when I report to Dumbledore," she replied as the Gargoyles opened.

"Jack!" Ann screamed. "You've killed him!" Her eyes were wild with confusion and dread.

"Nonsense, girl. He's not dead. Only unconscious," McGonagall refuted.

"Muggles," Snape muttered under his breath maliciously.

Albus Dumbledore then came into view. "More visitors. You know, Minerva, Severus, classes may have to be postponed for the time being. Hogwarts does not have enough substitutes while you sort out this business with strange people," he lightly joked.

"Let go of me and the crew. We don't belong here! We didn't do anything!" Ann shouted.

Dumbledore then became grave as he looked at her. "Too right you are, Miss Turner. We can not let you go. You are out of your time, as is Mr. Sparrow and the others in your crew. We don't have any idea how you got here, but we can not set you into the world in this time," he explained. "You and your crew are about three hundred years out of your league."

"Three hundred? Three hundred? You mean this is some time within the…" Ann paused to count. "Nineteen hundreds," she asked.

Dumbledore nodded solemnly, and the anachronistic girl promptly fainted.