"What kind of a wizard is he?" Ron asked Hermione before giving her an opportunity to answer.

The group was still standing in the middle of the Sanctum's entry. The debris from the boys' altercation with Harry and Ron still surrounding them even as Hermione stood between Stephen and Wong in her pajamas with bare feet, Stephen's cloak flitted, almost nervously, around her as she thought about where to begin.

Hermione gently caressed the cloak in reassurance as she looked back at Ron to answer.

"Well, he-"

"I'm the Sorcerer Supreme of Earth." Stephen snapped, cutting off Hermione. "NOT a wizard."

"You say that like it's supposed to mean something to us, mate."

"If you enjoy the reality in which you currently live, then it should." Stephen replied arrogantly with a tilt of his chin.

"Okaaaay." Hermione interrupted quickly before things began getting out of hand. "Stephen, Wong - This is Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley. My two best friends growing up at Hogwarts."

Turning and gesturing back towards the other two men beside her, Hermione continued. "And Harry, Ron - This is Wong, Master of the Mystic Arts, and Doctor Stephen Strange, Sorcerer Supreme."

"I would say it's nice to meet you, but the pair of you did just almost kill us." Ron grumbled.

"I can assure you, if I had wanted to kill you, I would have." Stephen responded coldly.

Hermione groaned softly. "Stephen, please."

Stephen ignored the gentle reprimand as he and Ron never paused in glaring daggers at the other. Harry continued looking on at the group in quiet contemplation.

Clearing his throat, Wong stepped closer into the circle. "Come, Master Strange. Let's get some tea for our guests and give them a moment to speak."

"No."

"Strange." Wong tried again, this time with a harder bite to his tone. "These are Hermione's friends. Come."

Hermione could see Stephen clench his jaw as he stared down the two intruders. After a few moments, he huffed in frustration as he turned to Hermione.

"We'll be in the next room. Call if you need me."

Hermione almost gasped at the intensity in his gaze as he spoke to her. After what she hoped was only a moment, she nodded her head with a small smile before watching the two sorcerers slip through the door that led to their small kitchen.

Turning back from where the two men had just disappeared, Ron tried again. "Ok. Now can someone PLEASE tell me what the bloody hell is going on?"

Hermione glanced at Harry, hoping for some help, but realized he was merely gazing back at her calmly, his arms crossed tightly across his torso. The two stared at each other for a moment before Harry lifted a brow slightly in question.

Hermione groaned before rubbing her face tiredly.

"I don't even know where to start." She said tiredly. "How did the two of you find me?"

"Kingsley, of course." Ron said proudly.

"Ron…" Harry complained in exasperation. "Didn't we agree not to bring that up?"

Ron snapped his mouth shut, staring at Hermione owlishly.

"Kingsley has been keeping track of me?" Hermione questioned before shaking her head. "Just start from the beginning." She finished before gesturing to a few leather chairs that had not been destroyed in the altercation.

Taking a seat, Harry began again.

"A few months ago, I was called to a meeting with Kingsley. By itself, that's not really uncommon for the Head Auror to meet occasionally with the Minister of Magic. What was odd was that when I arrived, he wasn't there. I sat down to wait for him, and what would be sitting on his desk but a file labeled 'H. Granger'"

"Harry. Tell me you didn't steal a file from the Minister of Magic."

"Of course not." Harry scoffed. "I made a copy of it and took the duplicate instead."

Hermione rolled her eyes as Ron laughed.

"In my defense, I'm almost certain that Kingsley wanted me to take it." Harry defended.

Hermione furrowed her brows. "Kingsley wanted you to take it?" She asked in obvious doubt.

"Think about it. When have you ever known Kingsley Shacklebolt to be late to anything, much less leave a highly classified file sitting on his desk when he knows I'm about to arrive? It's almost laughably obvious."

"Would have made a terrible Slytherin, he would." Ron quipped.

Hermione thought quietly for a few moments before glancing back up at Harry. "What was in the file?"

"Oh, only everything you've been up to since moving to New York…"

"A fight with aliens, Hermione?" Ron cut across. "Really?"

"It's not like I went looking for a sign-up sheet, Ronald!" Hermione defended.

"Leave it, Ron." Harry inserted before the two friends got out of hand.

"Did it mention anything else?" Hermione questioned, trying to determine how honest she would have to be with her two friends.

"Loads." Harry said in irritation. "A city-wide battle with interdimensional beings, kidnapping, prisoner of war, torture, escaped convict…Should I keep going?"

"Harry…"

"Your flat has been completely decimated, I'm shocked you haven't been arrested, and look at you!" Harry continued lecturing, his voice becoming louder the longer he spoke. "You look like you're a strong breeze away from falling out dead!" He finished in a huff.

"It's not like I asked for any of this…" Hermione argued.

"It doesn't matter!" Harry bellowed.

Hermione startled at his sudden shout. Harry had always been temperamental, but he had mellowed out as he got older.

"Enough." A deep voice interrupted with an edge of finality.

Hermione did a double-take as Stephen was suddenly standing beside her chair, never taking his steady glare off of Harry.

Ron shot Hermione a confused look as he gestured with his thumb at the suddenly appearing sorcerer.

Harry sighed heavily as he ran his hand through his already wild hair. Standing suddenly and pacing away from her before turning suddenly, he continued in a more level tone.

"Hermione, we want you to come home with us."

"Harry, you know that I-"

"No." He cut across her, holding up a hand to stop her. "When you decided to leave, I supported you. I understood that you couldn't continue being beat down by the wizarding society. And even though it hurt to see you go, I still encouraged you because it's what was best for you. But Hermione…This? All of this?" Harry said, gesturing around the Sanctum in frustration. "More fighting? Hostages? I mean, Christ, Hermione. Look at your neck!" He finished in exasperation.

Hermione touched her neck self consciously, worrying with the frayed edges of the gauze and wrappings covering the burns that were still trying to heal.

The tension in the dim room could have been cut with a knife as everyone stared at each other imploringly - no one knowing if resolution would be found.

"It's too much, Hermione." Harry murmured, his voice now taking on a level of pleading that, a few years ago, would have broken Hermione's heart. "It's time to come home. You need to be safe."

"She's safe here." Stephen finally spoke.

"Yeah, mate." Ron scoffed. "We can see how safe she's been so far."

"She hasn't been with me until now." Stephen snapped back immediately. "No one will touch her again."

"Can't say I believe that." Ron whispered to Harry with a snicker.

Harry waved him off in frustration. "Hermione. Please. It's time to come home." He pleaded again. "We can't lose you."

Hermione surged forward wrapping Harry in a tight embrace as she closed her eyes taking in his familiar scent.

"Harry." She said, leaning back and speaking earnestly. "You won't lose me."

"You are so stubborn." Harry replied tiredly. "What will it take to convince you to come back with us?"

"Unless Kingsley is planning to force me back to the magical world…" Hermione started before she stopped abruptly. "Wait…I'm not in trouble, am I?"

"Yeah, you're just running around New York City blasting spells left and right with the Avengers." Ron laughed sarcastically. "Nah. You're not in trouble at all!"

"Harry?" Hermione turned and asked, her face lined with worry.

"It's fine." He began offhandedly, no doubt still trying to figure out how to get her to come back with them. "To be honest with you, there aren't many that know you are here. Kingsley, of course, and our closest friends, but besides those, no one else. You know as well as I do that the wizarding world isn't exactly leading the charge as a modern society. You aren't using your wand at all-"

"Hey, that's bloody brilliant, by the way!" Ron interrupted. "Can you teach me?"

Hermione smiled at him affectionately. "I doubt it."

"Anyways," Harry began again. "The only way the ministry can track a witch or wizard breaking the Statute of Secrecy is through their wands, and you aren't using one. And it's not like they are watching the news on the telly, either. Hell, I doubt MACUSA even knows the war heroine Hermione Granger is here either, what with all of the other magically or technologically enhanced beings running amuck over here. It's not like they can just track magical signatures in a specific area anymore. Plus, the U.S. stayed out of the war with Voldemort, so they would almost have to be looking for you specifically, and then report you."

Hermione began worrying her lip as she processed all the information she had been given before feeling a hand rest encouragingly on her shoulder. Stephen never took his eyes off the two wizards in front of him as Hermione glanced up at his tall form hovering closely over her seated position.

Harry was still on a roll as he paced in front of her chair. "And even if someone DID decide to report you, Kingsley would never allow the information to get to the Wizengamot. It would do him no favors, and he knows I would never take it sitting down-"

Ron laughed again. "And no one wants the Golden-Boy-Who-Lived, Head Auror, Harry-Bloody-Potter getting his knickers in a twist!"

Harry rolled his eyes. "Well, what's the point in being the savior of the wizarding world if I can't use it to the benefit of my friends?" He said with that crooked smile Hermione loved so much. Looking back at Hermione earnestly, he tried one last time. "You won't come back home with us?"

Hermione stood and gently took the hand that was hanging at his side. Locking her focus on the vivid green eyes that were such a significant part of her childhood, she squeezed his hand. "I love you…I love all of you…so, so much." She began, feeling a small lump in the back of her throat. Squeezing his hand a little tighter, she continued. "But I am home."

She sensed more than she felt the quiet presence move beside her, providing a visually united front to her two childhood friends.

Harry closed his eyes and sighed heavily in resignation. "Ginny is going to pitch a fit."

Ron chuckled. "You'd better be glad Harry didn't let her come with us." Looking over and nudging Wong who had wandered back into the room. "She's a scary one. Would have likely dragged Hermione out of here by the scruff of her neck, no questions asked."

"Please, Mr. Weasley, Mr. Potter, we have tea prepared in the kitchen." Wong said, gesturing back towards the doorway where he and Stephen had entered. "Join us."

Ron slapped his knees as he stood up and stretched long limbs. "Sounds great to me." Glancing over at Hermione with his attempt at a doe-eyed look, he continued. "Perhaps there's a biscuit or two to go along with it?"

Hermione shook her head with a smile. "Honestly, Ronald." She chuckled. "Always hungry."

Harry stood with his eyes locked on Stephen's, never moving as Ron threw an arm around Hermione's shoulders and began trailing behind Wong towards the kitchen. Stephen met the bespeckled man's gaze calmly, the unspoken request to stay behind understood.

Stephen watched on as Harry waited until he heard the door click shut quietly before breaking the silence.

"I had every intention of bringing her home with us today." He stated bluntly.

"I believe Hermione has already made her opinion on the matter quite clear."

"Oh, believe me. I have years of experience to back up the fact that you can't force Hermione into anything she doesn't want to do once she makes up her mind." Harry's smile falters a bit as he continues. "She's been through so much, even before coming to New York. I just want her to be safe…happy."

"I am one of the most, if not the most, powerful being on Earth." Stephen arrogantly replied before slightly backtracking with a shrug. "...currently."

Squaring up to Harry, he continued. "I wasn't exaggerating when I told you that there is nowhere safer for her to be than here in this Sanctum. She will come to no harm. I won't allow it."

Harry gazed back at the sorcerer silently, his arms crossed in front of him in quiet contemplation.

"You love her."

Several moments passed by in complete silence before Stephen reluctantly answered.

"...Yes."

"Does she know?"

"No."

"Are you going to tell her?"

Stephen stubbornly glared at the wizard without answering.

Harry softly chuckled at the grumpy sorcerer. "Hermione is the smartest person I've ever met. She's going to figure it out eventually."

"This life…," Stephen began, struggling to find the words. "...as the Sorcerer Supreme, I have responsibilities…expectations. I can protect her, but I can never give her a normal life…A life she deserves."

"It's a funny thing…"Harry chuckled again as he turned and began walking leisurely towards the kitchen. Placing a hand on the door and pausing for a moment, he looked back over his shoulder at Stephen. "I wonder who could be better for the sorcerer supreme if not the brightest witch of her age?"