Cheers! Here's to hoping that you like this chapter! *clinks bottle of rum*

Jack gasped and rubbed his eyes. He had just experienced one of the most uncomfortable feelings he had ever felt (second to dying, naturally), and he had no idea why.

He looked around to see the familiar rowdy scenery of Tortuga around him. Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny were all staring at him as he frowned and looked around in amazement and confusion.

After the initial shock subsided, Jack noticed that he was still holding on tightly to Hermione's arm. He let go of it slowly as Ron narrowed his eyes in suspicion. Jack swallowed. He struggled for words for a moment, gestured around at the town, and then gushed, "What did you do? No, wait… I'm hallucinating. I must have been conked harder than I realized…."

Hermione sighed and said quietly, "No, Jack. This is real. We're in Tortuga." Ignoring her friends as they frantically shook their hands and waved their hands, she plowed on. "We're magic, Jack," she said bluntly. "We have wands, we make potions, we ride brooms… and… and I suppose that you won't believe us unless we show you," she finished.

"Hermione," Harry began anxiously, but Hermione waved her hand at him impatiently.

"It'll be fine," she whispered, and then beckoned Jack and the others down a narrow alley that was deserted but for one man who was so drunk that it didn't matter what he saw.

Jack followed a little hesitantly. He still looked rather frazzled. When Hermione pulled a thin stick of wood out of her robes, however, his dazedness cleared at once and an unreadable emotion stole into his eyes.

Hermione saw his look, and, mistaking it for confusion, explained, "This is my wand, Jack. I can do a lot with it. For instance-" She broke off as red sparks shot from the end of her wand. Jack didn't flinch, but the expression in his eyes intensified.

"I can do this, too," continued Hermione. She flicked her wand and the drunkard's hat began to float off his head. Startled, he clutched it back to his head and glared suspiciously at a nearby stray cat.

Hermione turned back towards Jack. He gestured wordlessly at the wand a few times. When Hermione showed no signs of comprehension, he blurted out, "Where can I get one of them?"

Hermione bit her lip nervously and glanced at the others for help. They said nothing, but Ron gave her a you-asked-for-it look. Hermione sighed and turned back to Jack, frowning slightly. "You can't have one," she said. Seeing a stubborn look cross Jack's face, she added softly, "Unless…."

"Unless? Unless what?" said Jack, quickly pouncing on this sliver of hope. Hermione shot him an almost resentful look and turned to whisper something to Harry. He shook his head forcefully, but when Hermione continued to whisper fervently to him, he finally nodded in reluctant agreement.

Hermione faced Jack. "You can't do magic unless you're a wizard," she said matter-of-factly. Jack shrugged.

"I can just learn to be a wizard, then," he said indifferently. Hermione looked pained.

"No, you can't," she explained quietly. "You have to be born with magical power. You might be a Muggle, which is a person with no magical power at all."

Jack didn't seem disheartened. He just took it in his stride and plowed on. "How do I find out if I'm magic or not?" he asked.

Hermione opened her mouth, but no answer came out. She closed it slowly, looking thoughtful. "We'll have to ask someone," she admitted, "and I think I know who…."

* * *

Lucius turned to Draco, his face livid. "We can't let them go showing this Jack Sparrow any more of our secrets," he hissed. "He's a filthy Muggle!"

Draco frowned slightly at his angry father. "He might be a wizard, though," he pointed out mildly. Lucius gaped at him for a moment, surprised at this protest, and then shook his head firmly.

"If that man's a Muggle, then I'm a…a…." He struggled with the words 'a monkey's uncle' for a moment, but he couldn't quite say it, so he spat ,"There's just no way that that man's magical, so we can't have that foolish Mudblood and her friends showing him any more of our world. We'll lay an ambush for them so that they can't get to where they're going."

Draco's eyes narrowed thoughtfully. He didn't argue any further, but his expression showed that he wasn't satisfied with what his father had said.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Thanks for reading, all! I'll try to update soon- and remember to review! Join the review revolution! ^_^

~chickenwinglegolas