Hermione and Shepard were seated at a little café outside the museum. Since they had regrouped, Shepard seemed strangely distant and lost in her thoughts.

"Shepard... I was wondering if it was okay to ask about your universe?" Hermione broke the silence timidly, her curiosity mixed with genuine concern for her new companion.

If it were anyone else but Hermione or Harry, Shepard might have been more guarded, suspecting Dumbledore or Voldemort trying to extract information. After all, Voldemort had already proven he had deeply infiltrate d the Order. Therefore, any information the Order had was potentially known by Voldemort as well.

"You can always ask, Hermione," Shepard declared. "Doesn't mean I will always answer, but you won't know until you try."

Even though Shepard trusted Hermione to a degree, it didn't mean she wasn't cautious. The Commander had to be careful in her responses to avoid revealing too much, as she had already done in her conversations with Dumbledore.

"You have already described the species that inhabited your galaxy, the Citadel, the Council... However, you never really talked about yourself. You mentioned being an Alliance N7 Marine and a Spectre, but what does it mean?" Hermione inquired gently.

It was intentional for Shepard to avoid discussing this subject. While it wasn't sensitive information, she didn't like dwelling on the mix of triumphs and heart-wrenching losses that were her past. However, she knew that at some point, she would have to share some of it to emphasize her competences or forge an emotional bond.

"Well, being an Alliance N7 Marine is a designation in the military of my universe, the Systems Alliance. N7 is an elite training program that only the best soldiers are selected for. It involves harsh training in combat and leadership skills. N7 operatives are tasked to handle the most challenging missions."

Hermione's eyes shone with admiration. "That sounds incredibly brave and impressive," she said, offering a warm smile. "It's no wonder Dumbledore wanted you to lead the Order."

Shepard nodded, appreciating the young witch's words. "I suppose you could say that, but it wasn't just me. I had an incredible team fighting alongside me. It was a collective effort, and their absence is only part of the reason why I can't help Dumbledore. Leading the Order, especially in a war like this, is a lot to take on. I've already done my fair share of fighting in my own universe. I don't want to start all over again now."

"As for being a Spectre," Shepard continued, "it's a title given by the Citadel Council. Spectres are special agents, granted the authority to operate outside the normal bounds of law. We're tasked with preserving galactic stability and stopping major threats."

Hermione's brows furrowed as she processed the weight of that responsibility. "That is a lot of responsibilities for one individual," she said, her voice tinged with concern. "But it's also frightening to think that someone doesn't have to bother with the law and at the same time is sanctioned by the government."

"When you have to maintain the order of an entire galaxy, you can't rely on just a police force to do the job. When pirates can literally take over an entire planet to enslave and slaughter people, you can't be compliant. You deal with the problem. Permanently."

Hermione's expression turned sour at the answer. She had recognized the jab the Commander made at the Aurors. The soldier had been astonished when the young witch and Harry explained how the magical police handled public safety and order.

"Look, Hermione, every society has its way of handling things," Shepard said, trying to ease the tension. "Even in my universe, many people thought just like you, that Spectres were a danger. However, after seeing firsthand the mountains of corpses left behind by slavers, I can't honestly defend their rights to a trial. Maybe it would be the 'right' way to do it. But I can't. The way I see it, they have crossed a line."

As Hermione listened to Shepard's explanation, she couldn't help but be conflicted. On one hand, the idea of dealing with merciless criminals who showed no regard for innocent lives was indeed appealing. The Death Eaters fell into this category, and Hermione would be glad if they were all swiftly 'delt with'. On the other hand, Hermione couldn't fully let go of her belief in the importance of due process because of the potential for misuse of power.

"I understand, Shepard. It's just that the idea of someone being above the law can be unsettling. Even without this kind of immunity, there are already so many examples of power being used for personal interests and not the greater good."

"I get it. It's not a perfect system, and it comes with its set of problems. But sometimes, in the face of overwhelming threats, you have to make hard choices to ensure the safety of everyone."

_No wonder why someone like Voldemort is such a pain in the ass for them if they all think like that,_ Shepard pondered. The Dark Lord would be a small fry in her former universe. Batarian pirates piled up more bodies on Mindor in a few days than in Voldemort's entire malevolent career. Shepard knew some people would even argue she was as bad or even worse than him. Her nickname, the "Butcher of Torfan," didn't stick with her for all these years for nothing. Furthermore, the Dark Lord paled in comparison to the horrors the Reapers unleashed.

From Shepard's military vantage, Voldemort was a pretty standard terrorist. He had a small group of hardcore supporters, financial and political backers, but he couldn't deliver on his promises. He lacked the discipline to craft long-term strategies and plans. The opposition's resilience rested primarily on the shoulders of one man, Albus Dumbledore, and Voldemort couldn't plot his demise. Even the most powerful wizard must sleep at some time, and only a paragon of ineptitude would fail in killing a target in a decade, armed with the myriad of spells and potions at their disposal.

Yet, from a civilian's vantage, Voldemort posed an unparalleled menace since the wizarding world didn't have any kind of army able to counter him. Shepard herself was wary of the Dark Lord, not due to his potential strength, but because of the unfamiliar territory she was stepping into. She didn't know enough about magic to know what to expect from him. She didn't have her weapons, armor, and teammates. Voldemort wasn't a terrifying enemy; Shepard was simply at her lowest.

The Commander was taking a sip of tea, preparing herself for the next question from Hermione, when she felt a pull somewhere behind her navel. Suddenly, the café vanished, and they were replaced by an entirely different room. A familiar motion sickness rushed to the Commander's head as she fell from her now-gone chair. As she hit the floor, her senses barely had time to register the multitude of looming figures surrounding her.

In the blink of an eye, instinct and training took hold. With one swift hand motion, she activated her Omni Blade while rolling on the floor to regain her footing. As she stood again, the glowing blade ready to strike on her left arm, Shepard launched a biotic Throw from her right hand to make her assailants take cover while she assessed her surroundings.

A once-sturdy wooden sideboard took the full brunt of the attack and shattered under the sheer force of it. A spell surged towards Shepard who sidestepped its trajectory while warping in the direction of the caster. However, the two attacks never connected with their intended targets, crashing into the shield apparating in the middle of the room, just in time to stop them.

"ENOUGH!"

The authority behind the simple word, reminiscent of Admiral Anderson, made Shepard hesitate enough for the surroundings to register in her mind. She was actually standing in the middle of the kitchen of the Order, and the people around her were none other than the Advanced Guard of the Order of the Phoenix and Albus Dumbledore, lowering his wand after his shield casting.

"Stand down, Alastor!" The venerable Headmaster commanded, his voice a blend of tiredness and admonition.

The scarred Auror grumbled in response, his hand slowing lowering to his side, still clenching his wand firmly. Shepard put away her Omni-Blade and allowed herself to relax a bit while still being ready to react to any threat.

"Forgive us for the impromptu Portkey activation, but it is a matter of emergency."Dumbledore explained, his grandfatherly tone once again asserting its calming cadence. "It appears that the Ministry has fallen. Voldemort took over."

-MexHP-

Hello everyone,

As you may have notice, the discussion between Hermione and Shepard is kind of a answer to some of the latest reviews. I know my Shepard seemed a a bit meek for a true Renegade. However, it is because (for me), a Renegade is defined by how far she is willing to go to accomplish her objective. Not by being an asshole for the sake of it.

For my Shepard, she won't be bothered by helping Voldemort because for her, he isn't evil incarnated. He is just like the Blue Sun, Blood Pack or Eclipse mercs from her universe. He is dangerous, sure, but far from someone like Aria, Saren or the Reapers. In the game, Shepard never had qualm to help scum like them if she can profit from it. She won't do for free, that's all. Same here.

The fact that my Voldemort has a different stance about Muggles that in the books is actually a plot point that will be revealed further down the line. The reason is linked to why Dumbledore avoided Harry in his fifth year. You can put your guesses in a review or even PM me, I will tell you if you are right.

Have a nice day,

Alykto