"Wait!" Eragon called as the three students were on their way back to the school. "Do you have time before you must go?"

"Well, I'd like to finish breakfast," Ron said. Hermione elbowed him in the ribs.

"We have some time, Eragon," Hermione said.

"Good. I'd like to learn more about this world. If, in your spare time, you could teach me, or even write about your world, I'd be very grateful," Eragon replied. "I'm afraid Dumbledore didn't explain everything to me, nor do I think he has the time."

"We'd be happy to help you!" Hermione said.

"We are?" Ron asked Harry in a low voice. Harry shrugged.

"In return, I can teach about Alagaesia," Eragon said.

"We'd have to learn about Alagaesia, if it is to combine with our own world," Hermione agreed.

"Like we don't have enough to study as it is," Ron said in aside to Harry.

Saphira came back then, dripping wet, and satisfied. IThe water is deep, cool, and clear. A great place for a bath,/I she told him. IYou must join me sometime./I Eragon smiled at that, remembering his flying dive on Saphira's back into Leona Lake.

Harry and Ron eyed Saphira warily, while Hermione tried not to eye the Rider. Eragon pretended not to notice either. Instead, he asked when they could start.

"Oh, we have to go to class soon, and then we have homework. Then there's curfew," Ron said, trying to weasel his way out of doing anything.

"We could do it during breakfast and dinner," Hermione said. "Besides, since when have you two done homework? As I recall, I do it for you."

"She's got us there, Ron," Harry said. Ron glared at him.

"We also have some free time. We usually visit Hagrid, but we could also use that time to teach you about our world. Well, our world has like two different worlds."

"Yes, Dumbledore did say something to that effect," Eragon said. "There's going to be a lot of shock when it happens."

"Why?" Hermione asked.

"Cause, magic, though not used everyday or by everyone, is well known," Eragon said. "And there is no way you can contact all of the magicians, be they witches, wizards, sorceresses or sorcerers, and tell them, or make them for that matter, do their magic in utter secrecy. For one thing, most do so anyway, but for another, it's well known that magic is used in battle, too."

"There are witches and wizards in your world too?" Ron asked.

"Aye, there are. Witches of our world tend to rely on herbs and plants for their magic. Sorcerers and sorceresses rely on spirits. Unfortunately, sometimes they summon a spirit too powerful for them to control, and a Shade is born. I'm only one of three who slew a Shade and lived to tell the tale. And I was lucky," Eragon said. "Hence the name Shadeslayer."

"We better get going on to class," Ron said.

Eragon nodded, saying, "You know where to find me. We can teach each other more when you have free time."

The three hurried to their classes, and Eragon had some time to himself. Hogwarts was a large castle. But it had always been a school, with no military defense in mind. Eragon had been told that much. And it was safely hidden from the Muggle world. Eragon wondered what the non-magical folk were like here.

Eragon supposed that he wouldn't see the trio until after dinner. So, he went about polishing Saphira's scales.

Their first session, in which Ron was falling asleep, Hermione was rattling on, Eragon was listening to Hermione, and Harry was preoccupied, was interrupted. Many of the students had been outside for lunch, for that was when the first session took place. It was a Friday, and Ron didn't want to be teaching someone about his world. Harry was thinking about how to get a memory from Slughorn, and Hermione was trying to impress Eragon. Eragon remained polite to everyone. He couldn't, for some odd reason, read Hermione, but the other two had no clue that their thoughts were so open.

Saphira had been curled up next to Hagrid's hut. When a bucket of foul smelling sludge upended itself on her nose, she woke with a roar. Everyone in the castle froze at the sound. Then, faint laughter could be heard, to Eragon's well-trained hearing.

"Someone magically upended some sludge onto Saphira," Eragon said as he left the little hut. The trio and Hagrid followed. Not quite out of site were Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle. And all three were laughing hard enough to have committed the act.

"Malfoy. Should have known it was him," Ron said. He glanced uncertainly back at the blue dragon, who was rubbing her nose in the dirt to get the smell off.

"That was a deliberate insult to not only Saphira, but to me as well," Eragon growled.

"Malfoy causes a lot of problems," Hermione said. "He'll cause even more, too, if he has his way."

"One day he'll go too far with his mischievousness," Eragon said. "I can't guarantee that Saphira won't seek vengeance. She is a proud dragon, after all. And just because we are bound together, doesn't mean she'll listen to me. She did, after all, kidnap me once before."

"She kidnapped you?" Ron asked, incredulous.

"Yes. She did it to save my life, though. See, these creatures, called Ra'zac, were after me. Sloan, Carvahall's butcher, tipped them off about me having Saphira's egg. Well, anyway, they went to my uncle's farm, the farm I grew up on, and completely destroyed the house, and tortured my uncle. They used Seithr oil, actually, a magically altered form of Seithr oil, to burn my uncle," Eragon said. "Wounds caused by the Ra'zac are slow to heal. My uncle died a few days later. Then, I had to leave town, for fear that Saphira would be detected. Galbatorix doesn't want any opposition. He still wants to trap Saphira and me into serving him. That is what he sent Murtagh to do. But I refuse to serve the likes of Galbatorix," Eragon said. He sighed. "I'll have to tell you the whole story some other time."

This, in fact, only piqued the trio's interest. Even Ron, was interested. But then, Saphira had noticed the laughing Slytherins, and had risen to her haunches. She looked fearsome and impressive in that pose. She let out a mighty roar, and then locked eyes with the culprits.

Eragon laughed at the shocked expression on Malfoy's face when he heard Saphira tell Malfoy exactly how hot dragon fire can get. The trio of Slytherins ran off, looking behind them every few steps at the intense cold stare of the sapphire dragon.

"Why are you laughing?" Ron asked, a little confused.

"Because Saphira just told them exactly how hot her fiery breath can get," Eragon said. "She doesn't trust those three. She wanted to prevent any incident that might make her want vengeance, so she just explained that a few minutes under her breath and there'd be nothing left."

"I didn't—" Ron started.

"Saphira speaks to whom she pleases. Why she bothered to talk to those three directly, she won't explain beyond, 'I don't trust them'. First mental communication is a shock, especially if you're not prepared for it," Eragon explained.

"Oh," was Ron's reply.

Saphira settled back down, apparently satisfied that nothing more would happen. Eragon watched her curl up, and then shrugged.

"She's determined to have her nap. We won't be taking any kind of afternoon naps once we reach Du Waldenvarden," Eragon said. "Our training is incomplete. It may never be complete."

Eragon had already done some explaining about the major races that lived in Alagaesia, and some of the different fauna and plant life. He also explained that there was still more that he did not know. He hoped he could befriend these three, because he knew that there'd be no hope if their enemies joined forces. He didn't think it likely, though, if the little they knew about Voldemort was anything to go by. Anyone calling himself the Dark Lord probably wouldn't bow down to a madman. And Galbatorix, though mad, wouldn't bow down to anyone.

"Now, back to the lesson that was interrupted," Eragon said.

Hermione proceeded to continue her lecture. Ron yawned, and Harry began to think of ways of getting Slughorn's memory. None came to mind, though.

The following Monday, Harry decided to take Felix Felicis. Eragon had decided to fly Saphira, something he hadn't done since being at the castle. Harry obtained Slughorn's memory while Eragon was out.

The next day, after Harry had his private lesson with Dumbledore, the worlds mixed. Surprised witches and wizards contacted others in the world, and naturally, the news spread quickly among the wizarding world. Muggles knew about the mix only from the other Muggles who lived in the area where Alagaesia mixed. Alagaesia happened to mix with Europe.

"So, the challenge begins. We must ready the world for a war that we may lose," Eragon said to Dumbledore when approached. "I'll warn the elves, the Varden, and try to get a message to the dwarves. The Empire has many people, and many are going to get conscripted into its army. The elves, though better than humans at everything, are limited in numbers. The dwarves are hardy and tough, but the clans don't always agree. Besides which, I have a whole clan against me. Their King died in the last battle, so they'll be busy electing a new one. And the Varden and Surda are small in number, and the magicians, unfortunately, aren't as well trained or as good as the ones the Empire hires. Put that with the fact that the Empire has two Riders, Murtagh and Galbatorix himself, and we only have one, we know the odds are against us."

"But you're not going to give up, are you?" it was more statement than question.

"Of course not. Many suffer everyday from Galbatorix's mismanagement as King, and worse than that, it'll be centuries before he dies of natural causes," Eragon replied. "But Galbatorix isn't the only problem, though. We still have Voldemort to worry about too."

It was a private meeting, so Eragon felt safe enough using the name. It was just a name, one associated with a powerful evil wizard, but still just a name. It wasn't like the name itself was going to bring the wizard himself.

"Right. This is going to be a rough time," Dumbledore said.

"I'll have to leave for Du Waldenvarden for my training soon," Eragon said. "I promised a friend that I'd come back."

"The world will be in upheaval because of this. It would be best if the students knew, too. They mustn't remain ignorant. The castle only provides relative safety," Dumbledore said.

"I just thought of something. Because of all the confusion right now, Voldemort might be planning to use it to his advantage. Galbatorix will certainly be raising his army again. He fooled the Varden's informants once without all that's going. He certainly will try to fool them again, using the confusion to hide the true size of his army. Anyone from this world living on Empire lands, I'm sure they'll get treated by Galbatorix the same as everyone in the Empire."

"Galbatorix will be having some trouble with both Muggles and wizarding folk who live on his lands, then," Dumbledore said.

"I would imagine so. That's helpful, for a while at least," Eragon said.

"The Muggles have invented ways of killing each other almost as effective as magic, Eragon. Ask Harry or Hermione, they'll tell more than I can about Muggle technology," Dumbledore said. "The wizarding community wants to stay hidden. But that will be difficult, with the fact that there are so many of Alagaesia who use magic openly."

"That may not be a good idea anymore. The Muggles are already going to distrust the wizarding community for staying hidden for so long. What would happen if their first glimpse of magic is a bunch of cursings?" Eragon asked. "Magic would have a worse reputation than what it needs."

Dumbledore didn't say anything to that. Instead, he said, "I know you've been exchanging information with Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger. Has that helped you any to understand our world?"

"Yes, it has. And I gave them basic history lessons of Alagaesia. And told them a little of what I know of each race. Basically, I told them no more than I told you, except maybe about Saphira. I hope that you and those three can put the knowledge I gave you to good use," Eragon said. "There are so many things that I don't know, too."

"And that's why you are leaving soon to go to Du Waldenvarden?" Dumbledore asked.

"Yes," Eragon replied. He had planned to leave the following day, or the day after. "I hope to learn as much as I can. I also hope to be the very best I can be at swordsmanship and archery. And magic."

"Understandable. Well, the best of luck to you, in your ventures," Dumbledore said.

"We'll all need it. Because if I fail, Galbatorix will live for a very long time, making many suffer," Eragon said. He sighed. "I didn't ask for any of this. But, it's what I have, and I have to make do with it. I never wanted to become famous. Now, everyone in the Empire knows my name!"

"Well, some of us don't ask for anything and get everything dumped onto us. Some want everything and get nothing. Most are in between of that," Dumbledore said. "But you know that already. I just thought you should know that the worlds have finally mixed."

"Thank you for telling me. I'll be leaving tomorrow or the day after," Eragon replied.

The two parted ways, Eragon heading back to Hagrid's hut, Dumbledore back to his office. They had met in an empty classroom. Eragon was thinking hard. It was only a matter of time before the wizarding world was exposed, he thought. He couldn't come up with a solution, no matter how he looked at it. He asked Saphira. She couldn't come up with any good ideas either. They knew very little about either foe.