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 a complete collection of X-Files DVD's. I wish I owned Fox Mulder.
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".
GUEST ROOM
HOGWARTS
Scully was pacing again, this time in her partner's room. "You do remember the case, don't you Mulder?"
"I do. I'm just sorry I didn't think about it first."
"You didn't see the Mark." Unconsciously her hand touched her left forearm.
"I gotta tell you. I'm not sure if this is a good idea. Besides, I don't know if you can leave."
"Dumbledore said we could leave anytime we wanted."
"Yes, but he never said we could come back."
Scully stopped in her tracks. "But I need the data, Mulder. Surely he wouldn't refuse to let me do research."
"Scully," he started, then paused. "Scully, sit down. I want to talk to you."
She sat down reluctantly in an overstuffed chair. Her whole demeanor radiated tension and she drummed her fingernails impatiently on the armrest.
"I just want to say..." he stopped again to gather his thoughts. Then he took a deep breath and plunged in. "I'm afraid you're becoming too emotionally involved in this case."
"I am not!"
"I haven't seen you get this affected by any investigation since--oh, I don't know. I can't think of one."
"I can handle this. Just because I don't believe in magic..."
"Yeah, you keep saying that. And maybe you even think it's true. But you keep coming around to talk about Dark Marks and potions. Next you'll be telling me you took tea with Moaning Myrtle."
"Who?"
"You know--the ghost in the girls' bathroom--the one who--oh, never mind. I..."
"I haven't talked to any of the ghosts, Mulder," Scully interrupted.
"Okay. Fine. But..."
"I don't believe in ghosts, Mulder."
"Whatever--it's just..."
"I know it's a common psychological phenomenon to think you've seen the spirits of your departed loved ones, but that doesn't mean..."
"Scully! Stop interrupting me!" Mulder shouted. Then seeing the hurt look on her face, he hunkered down next to her. When he spoke again, he was much quieter. "This is what I'm talking about. First you talk like you believe in some of this, then you talk like you don't. Finally, you deny what you said and contradict yourself. I'm getting worried that this case isn't good for you. I don't want to see you crack up. Maybe you should go home. That might be your best bet."
"I don't want to leave," she said quickly. "Not now." She met her partner's eyes. He was staring at her searchingly. She was the first one to look down.
When Mulder spoke again, it was calmly and quietly. "How do you propose to get back to the States? Airplane?"
"I suppose. I didn't think it out that far ahead. I could ask Dumbledore. Or Professor Snape. He would know."
"Did you ask Professor Snape already?"
"No."
"Go ahead and ask Dumbledore. See if you can get clearance to go get your data." He put his hand gently over hers. "But I really wish you wouldn't do this. I'll be watching you closely to make sure you're handling this okay."
"You're not my boss, Mulder."
"No. But I am somebody who will watch your back. Somebody who cares what happens to you."
HEADMASTER'S OFFICE
FOLLOWING MORNING
Headmaster Dumbledore looked at Agent Scully closely over his spectacles as he listened quietly to her request.
Misinterpreting his silence for disbelief, she became frustrated. "I don't know how else to convince you, sir."
He started. "Convince me? My dear Agent Scully--but I am convinced."
"Then does that mean I have your okay to go back for the evidence?"
He tilted his head to one side. "It's not that simple. You see, the last thing the Ministry wants is for muggles to flit back and forth between our worlds. I had a devil of a time to persuade them to let you here in the first place. You may not realize that you and your partner have been privy to a glimpse of our world muggles never see. Few of you know about us. Just consider our students here, Agent Scully--many of them have muggle parents, but we don't bring them here to Hogwarts."
"So what does this mean? I can't leave?"
"Oh, no, Agent Scully. I told you before--you're free to leave any time. I just can't guarantee your passage back to Hogwarts."
"Even though I have evidence that could help you?"
"You mean you may have evidence. You've said you weren't sure."
Scully looked at him in surprise. Until now, Dumbledore had been the soul of courtesy and cooperation.
"So you won't help me."
"You of all people should understand bureaucracy." He looked at her kindly. "I'm afraid the Ministry's feelings are clear. Come." He stood up and took her elbow. "I'll walk with you down to breakfast. The house elves tell me they're preparing something special."
SEVERUS SNAPE'S QUARTERS
LUNCHTIME
If Snape had hoped Scully's pensive mood from the previous night had lifted, he was sorely disappointed. She had little to say at breakfast and seemed to look right through him at Potions. She didn't seem to notice the curious sidelong glances he'd been giving her and now she was picking at the food he'd had sent for lunch. It was too cold today to eat in the turret, but she agreed to lunch with him in his rooms.
"Don't you like it?" He asked.
"It's fine...it's okay...I guess I'm just not very hungry." She pushed her food around her plate. Then she put down her fork. "I want to go back to DC. There's some evidence I'd really like to look into, but Dumbledore won't let me come back if I go. I just don't know how he can be so stubborn about this..."
"Because he has to live here after you--after your assignment is over."
She sat back and sighed. "I know. He has people he has to placate and get along with. He's already gone out on a limb for us--and I'm really not ungrateful--but it's so frustrating to sit here and not do everything in my power."
"Is that where you were this morning before breakfast? Talking to Dumbledore?"
"Yes. But he told me no. It's against some unwritten policy or something."
Snape leaned across the table and took her hand. "The headmaster is a reasonable man. You should trust him when he says this."
"I know, Severus. I've read his history. I know he's very open-minded about muggles. But I'm so frustrated!"
xXxXxXx
Before they walked in for dinner, Dumbledore brushed by the agents waiting in the lobby with the other faculty. "I'd like a word with you in my office, seven-thirty sharp." Mulder and Scully looked at each other. Mulder shrugged.
And at seven-thirty sharp, they were sitting in private conference in the Headmaster's office.
"You may do that errand we spoke of earlier, Agent Scully. Of course, I expect the utmost discretion from you. And if you ask, you'll receive the help you require. That will be all."
"Thank you," said Scully, rather stunned by this turnaround.
Dumbledore waved his hand and shook his head as a signal not to discuss it. But he peered at Mulder closely as he walked them to the door.
Outside the office, Mulder looked at his partner with some amazement. "Well, you wrangled it, Scully. I'm not sure how you did it, but you convinced him."
"Yeah, weird," she said doubtfully.
xXxXxXx
Did you have something to do with this?" Scully demanded when she was alone with Snape that night.
He merely shrugged. "As I said, the headmaster is a reasonable man."
"He advised me to be discreet. Which I would have been anyway. I know that what he's allowing me to do would be frowned upon by the Ministry. But then he told me that if I need any help to just ask.. Does the Hogwarts Express come by here again? Then I can get back to London and to Heathrow Airport."
"You can't take the Express because you would have to go back through King's Cross. And you can't risk being seen. We'll be leaving directly from the gates of Hogwarts."
"We?"
"I'm coming with you."
"No, I don't want to put you to any trouble. I could fly out and back again..."
"You may need my help."
"What for? I'll be in my own world."
"You might be able to go for your data and come back again without any interference. But Dumbledore is worried that you could run into...hostile elements. And besides, if you took a plane, personal information would be tracked and become part of someone else's record."
"But the only alternative is wizarding transportation," and she turned a little pale at the thought.
"You can't have everything, Dana. No, we'll be doing a series of side-along apparations."
An awful suspicion dawned on her. "Is this apparation that appearing-and-disappearing thing you told me about once?"
He nodded.
"There has to be a better way," she argued. "Even Floo would be better."
"Floo isn't entirely secure. It can be monitored. Brooms take too long. It must be apparation."
"I wouldn't know what to do."
He raised his eyebrow at her. "You don't have to do anything. Except follow my instructions."