Chapter 2:

In practicing and learning over the summer, I was trying to determine my own ability level. Was I in the type of story where I was superpowered, or were my only advantages in the mind arts and in foreknowledge? So far it seemed like no special other superpowers, except high intelligence. I also had some special family knowledge in potions, in grape growing and wine making, and in archaeology.

Tom's mother Adeline, had a slight resemblance to an older version of the actress who played the 21st century Renée Picard, Penelope Mitchell. "Send us an owl tonight after you are sorted into your house" "Oui, maman" (Yes, mom).

I arrived at platform 9 ¾. I went out of my way to avoid the main characters for now. I wound up in a compartment with the Patil twins. "I'm Padma Patil" "I'm Parvati Patil" "Pleased to meet you, I am Tom Picard."

I asked "Do you think there is an actual steam engine on the train?" Padma answered "It would make more sense to have an enchanted heat source to drive a steam engine, than to have a non functional appearance of a steam engine." I said "Exactly, why have the form without the function. Enchanted motion could be done with no appearance of an engine." Parvati was less interested in the technical discussion we got into.

Later when they were on the boats, Padma said, "No engine here. No sound." I answered, "Also no wake, the lake is completely still." Parvatis said, "I'd like to swim here sometime."

I had been studying, during the summer the various mind arts that I didn't have a super ability in, and found that I could learn them easily. I could feel as I approached the hat, that the people in the room seemed a little impatient to see Harry Potter's sorting, which would be alphabetically just after mine.

"Tom Picard" The hat was put over my head.

"My, my. You have completely blocked me. The sorting cannot occur without seeing your mind. Consider that from the time I was created up to the present, 11 year olds have discovered information about their families that those families would not want to get out, even to the headmaster of Hogwarts. Yet, generation after generation of magical families send their children to Hogwarts to be sorted by me. I do not reveal secrets to anyone, I only sort. Even serious magical crimes in the past, present, or planned, by yourself or those you know of, is not something I will reveal."

I was going to tell Dumbledore most of what I know anyway, so I said "How about I give you partial access?" The Sorting Hat answered, "Let's start with that, I'll tell you if it is sufficient. Don't leave out parts that show your actions, mind, mentality, abilities.

"You're house is obvious, but I'll tell you why, since you are someone who likes explanations. With your special knowledge you could be thinking about personal power and ambition, but you are not, which rules out Slytherin. You do want to help the side you agree with, but not in the way a Hufflepuff would. You also consider yourself a non-conformist, and will study, even study hard, to learn what interests you, but don't naturally take to hard work.

With your intellectual disposition, you are obviously almost the definition of a Ravenclaw. However, there have been students well suited to Ravenclaw that I've sorted into Gryffindor. You can immediately see why you are not one of them, from your recent thought that you don't want to personally fight a Troll or Basilisk, only to provide information to others. So, therefore you must be RAVENCLAW!"

The table cheered me, and I went over and sat next to Padma Patil. Her twin sister Parvati was sorted into Gryffindor.

Later during the meal, I got Albus Dumbledore's attention by staring at him. I sent a mental message, "I have some information you'd be interested in and would like to talk to you." He tried a light scan of my mind, and I completely shut him out. He had a puzzled look.

I received by owl, a note, inviting me to go to Dumpledore's office at 7:30 pm. At the entrance to Dumbledore's office, I said "Treacle Toffee" and was let in. "Mr. Picard, good of you to come. Would you like a lemon drop?" I had seen in various fan fictions, ideas that the candy was enchanted to change the person's mood or slightly increase their honesty or their being forthcoming. I was interested to see what it did, so I ate one, and concentrated on detection. Q had given me another Star Trek tie-in, the voice of the Enterprise Computer, Majel Barrett. She said, "Scanning. No influence detected." My detection ability only works when I actually would be affected, so I couldn't tell without eating it, but if it had an effect, the voice of Majel Barrett would tell me the analysis, and that it was neutralized unless I mentally asked for it not to be.

Dumbledore, looked amused and said "You've just analyzed the treat, which you have verified is simply a sweet."

"Would you allow me to scan your mind?" I replied "I'll give you partial access."

Dumbledore said, "Is this universe then, myself included, just a fictional world? Or did Q create a real universe based upon it, or was it pre-existing all along, but then described by an author?"

"I think it is real, even if created by an entity of another universe, a pocket universe perhaps. There was a character in the other world I am linked to, Star Trek, where a character named the Traveler, showed the other people that thought creates reality. My compatriot, René Descartes, said cogito, ergo sum, I think therefore I am. I think that applies as well to this situation. I am in this world, and it is a real world, perhaps created by Q's thought, or mine, or the authors. Either way, it is real."

Dumbledore said "I am gratified to hear that, and that also you regard yourself as French, your nationality by family in this dimension, and not American, your previous life's nationality.

After some more discussion I said, "You can see that noone will get any information from me involuntarily."

Dumbledore said "Yes, but there is always the risk of voluntarily giving information to the wrong person. You have showed me that Pettigrew is alive and in the castle now. James and Lilly Potter made the tragic mistake of trusting him with information. If you have any doubts about whether to trust anyone, please ask for help. You are developing your legilimency, but there are those with far greater ability as of now.

I will deal with Mr. Pettigrew very soon. You cannot be there during the arrest, but I'll show you the memory at our next meeting."

In the days that followed, I was anxious to hear news. Most of the dangerous plot elements of the first year happened starting the 31st of October. I wanted these to be solved by then.

Then I heard that Professor Quirrell had gone insane and escaped to parts unknown. I also heard that a Death Eater had been caught in the Gryffindor dorm. I had an invitation to visit Dumbledore that night. The letter was sort of a hall pass, in case anyone asked why I was in the corridors then.

"Ginger Cream"

"Good evening Tom, we have a lot to catch up on. We both understood mentally that Voldemort and Quirrell were not to be talked about at all. I called the aurors to arrest Pettigrew while also laying a trap for Voldemort. The former succeeded, and Sirius Black should be freed within days. The trap for Quirrel was not a success. His magic ability is far beyond that of the Professor I knew and he escaped along with Voldemort. However, Voldemort never appeared within my field of vision, and I cannot prove he was there with a pensieve. Based on what you said happened years later, I will not attempt to convince the Ministry."

I replied, "Even if you had killed him, he would have returned due to his Horcruxes. Maybe only I notice it as a French speaker, but Voldemort is French for flies from death. If you had captured him, he would have been rescued right out of the Ministry of Magic."

Dumbledore agreed "It is possible that is what would have happened."

The next day at lunch, I tried a request, "Kitchen elves, would it be possible for me to get Earl Grey tea and served extra hot?". It appeared in front of me. Terry Boot asked me, "How did you get to like that?" I answered "It is a family tradition".

As I started drinking it, I noticed the room became quiet, everyone froze, and even some pumpkin juice being poured was stopped in the air. The only movement was someone he didn't notice before with a long beard and robe similar to Dumbledore sitting next to me. Then I noticed he had the face of Q.

"Why don't you bark, "Tea Earl Grey Hot!" mon capitaine (my captain), or rather a distant relative of mon capitaine"

"He was talking to a computer. I was talking to elves, who are disrespected enough by wizards. And of course you know this beverage choice is a far future family tradition."

"You have made an interesting choice, won one victory, but the loss of Quirrell means part of your foreknowledge is derailed. What should you do about the silly stone, the strange mirror, the adorable 3 headed dog? Questions, questions."

Q then vanished and time resumed.