Chris Carter and 1013 Productions own the X-Files. JK Rowling, Warner Brothers and Scholastic own Harry Potter. All I own is this story line, every Harry Potter DVD and an almost complete collection of X-Files DVD's.

A/N This story is set anytime during Sorcerers Stone through Prisoner of Azkaban of HP (although it contains information in all the books) and after X-Files episode "Emily", but before "Requiem".

SOMETIME IN THE FUTURE

Dana, reminiscing: In the years my partner and I investigated X-Files, I came to realize that sometimes, to look beyond the rational explanation and the scientific answer brought greater clarity to my understanding.

Dumbledore was thinking that although Scully hid it well, she seemed antagonized by the Hogwarts environment.

For his part, Snape looked back at Scully a moment then directed a frown at the floor. He never thought he'd see the day that muggles would be sitting in the headmaster's office for any reason, let alone in a professional capacity.

Mulder sat on the other side of Scully. In contrast to his partner, Mulder was quite relaxed and seemed pleased to be here.

After a brief introduction around the room, which Scully was sure, she would never remember, the Headmaster launched into his explanation. The prime suspect was a wizard named Voldemort. The wizards all cringed at the sound of this name, and Scully and Mulder exchanged a quick glance. Scully glanced at the wizard seated next to her under her eyelashes to study his reaction more closely, but he had already recovered his composure. Dumbledore went on to explain that from now on the suspect would be referred to as "He Who Must Not Be Named" or simply "You Know Who". And would the muggles please refrain from using his proper name too? He had attempted a bid for rule over the wizarding world, during the course of which he gathered a group of followers known as the Death Eaters. Crimes included Dark Magic and murder. All this began a little more than 20 years ago. Over 10 years ago, "You Know Who" had been abruptly stopped during an attack on a family where the parents had been killed, but a baby had survived with only minor injuries. Although there had not been enough physical evidence to prove You Know Who had died, the wizarding community had presumed he was dead. Life returned to normal.

In recent years, there had been increasing evidence that You Know Who may have returned. Crimes, murders, mysterious happenings. There had also been attacks on muggles and an increase in irritating and dangerous pranks with muggles as the intended target, known to wizards as "muggle-baiting", which seemed to suggest that he was not working alone. Were there anyquestions?

"How is this entity manifesting itself, Headmaster?" Asked Mulder. "A spirit, a corporeal being, perhaps a parasite?"

The faculty looked at each other, surprised by the question.

"We don't actually know, Agent Mulder," Dumbledore replied.

Mulder nodded to Scully and she started to stand up. "If you would direct us to the crime scene, Headmaster," she said, " Agent Mulder and I can get started."

A murmur went around the room, and Scully looked around, unsure of herself.

"I'm afraid you misunderstand, Agent Scully. We don't expect you to find or capture Voldemort," Dumbledore said, amused and impressed.

"Then I'm afraid I'm a little confused," said Mulder, as they sat back down.

"Voldemort has a deep dislike for persons of non-magical abilities. If he is successful in his bid for dominance over the Wizarding world, he will proceed to eliminate your kind--muggles. Don't misunderstand; if you were to capture him, you would earn the eternal gratitude of the wizarding world. But no, you're here to observe. After this assignment is over, you will return to your world and have no more contact with us. Therefore, you need to understand this threat close up. You will each be working closely with a faculty member to learn enough about our world and the crimes I just briefed you on so that, if the time comes, you will be able to see the signs of his infiltrating into your world, and prepare yourselves for it. Agent Mulder, I understand you have some knowledge cryptobiology?"

"The study of presumed mythical creatures, yes," Mulder replied.

"I have assigned you to work with Rubeus Hagrid. He is our gamekeeper."

"Agent Scully, I understand you're a doctor? You will be working with our Potions Professor, Severus Snape." She turned to look at Snape, and saw that he still had that look of irritation on his face that he was wearing ever since she and Mulder had walked into the room. She stifled a sigh and looked down at her fingernails. Another crazy voodoo assignment, complete with the required Suspicious Local. Why did there always have to be a Suspicious Local?

Dumbledore dismissed the group, and as they all stood up, Snape checked the time and gruffly bade Scully to follow him, saying he didn't want to be late to class. Just let her try to keep up, he thought sourly. Without a word, she followed him out the door, and through the winding maze of corridors and staircases. If Snape had expected Scully to make a comment about the size or confusion of the layout of Hogwarts, he was disappointed. He had been daunted by the complexity of the Hogwarts buildings as a first-year student and would have enjoyed a bit of discomfiture on her part, but she followed him easily, and didn't complain about his speedy pace. He brooded as he wondered what Dumbledore was thinking, to assign one of the muggles to him--this woman walking quietly beside him, only the muffled click of her heels on the floor.

Scully did not try to engage Snape in conversation. She hadn't been able to shake the sense of disorientation that she'd had ever since passing through the pillar at King's Cross, and she was unwilling to betray any weakness in front of this stranger. Law enforcement was still very much a man's world and she felt a sense of obligation to be better than her male colleagues and wasn't sure if the man had any prejudices. As she walked, she observed the hallway, the many doors and passages, the occasional ghosts. If there hadn't been ghosts at the Ministry she would have jumped out of her skin to see them here. If she showed any sign of fear, her newly assigned partner would never take her seriously. She thought about the interview with Headmaster Dumbledore. She believed he was telling the truth, but she also had the definite impression that he hadn't told them the entire truth. She was sure he was holding some information back. She envied Molder. "Cryptobiology", indeed. She had as much experience in biological oddities as he. Maybe she'd get lucky and a fluke-boy would bite Mulder. It would serve him right. Ever since they arrived here he had been acting like he had just won the Power Ball jackpot.