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The potions room was hazy with the steam of the three different potions Professor Hermione Granger was currently brewing. She was behind on her brewing for the castle, and she was also working on something experimental for personal use. It had been over a year since she last published an article in a potions journal, and she was feeling the pressure.
Blowing the curls that had fallen out of her top knot she had forced her hair into out of her face, she turned back to her experimental potion stirring three times clockwise. This was always when the potion would fail. But she had only been doing two clockwise stirs. Maybe three was what it needed.
Satisfied, she turned back to the pain potion she was working on to resupply Pomfrey. Hermione’s back hadn’t been turned for more than a minute before she heard the cauldron behind her rattle.
Alarmed, she dropped the rod she was using to stir the pain potion, not even registering the clatter it made as it fell to the stone floor of the room. The cauldron holding her experiment was smoking now, but not a regular smoke, it was a weird greenish color. And it wasn’t just wafting, it was pouring out of the cauldron in thick tendrils.
“Fuuuucck,” Hermione moaned as she desperately fumbled for her wand, which she had shoved into the topknot on her head.
She aimed her wand, ready to vanish the cauldron, but before she could, the cauldron exploded, knocking her backward, her back slamming into the workbench behind her. She cried out in pain as she fell to the floor, her head smashing against the stone, and everything went black.
HPMCU
The next this she was aware of was someone shaking her shoulder. She could tell that whoever it was was trying to say something, but she couldn’t make it out. Bringing her hand up to her throbbing head, she let out a low groan.
“Careful,” the American accented voice of a man extremely close to her said. “You more than likely have a concussion, and you’ll want to take things slowly.”
Hermione’s eyes flew open, and she spun her head to look at the interloper, immediately regretting it. Nausea rose and her head swam.
The man brought his hands up to her head, cradling them on either side, steadying her. “I told you to take it easy. But, I guess I could understand your haste. I don’t think you were expecting me, since I wasn’t expecting me to be here. But, I am a doctor, and one who specializes in brains, so please let me look at you and make sure you’re okay, before we figure out whatever this is.”
Hermione brought her eyes to meet his. He was older, but handsome. His dark hair was mussed, and he had streaks of grey on either side just above his temples. Concern clear in his brown eyes, and his mouth formed into a frown inside his well manicured goatee. Hermione had to admit, whoever this stranger was, he was quite handsome.
He turned her head side to side and gazed into her eyes. “Your pupils are not equal, which is not a great sign. Nausea?”
Hermione did her best to nod her head.
The man sighed. “Concussion. We should move you somewhere more comfortable, and I’ll have the watch you closely and make sure there aren’t more complications.”
“I’m sorry, but who are you?”
The man smiled. “I’m sorry. How rude of me. My name is Dr. Stephen Strange and I’m a Master in the Mystic Arts and guardian of the Sanctum Santorum in New York. I was the Sorcerer Supreme, but since I lost five years being blipped, that went to another person. Did you blip?”
Hermione narrowed her eyes. “Blip?”
“You didn’t have the blip? Maybe I didn’t just move locations, but maybe I’ve moved universes.”
“Universes?”
“Obviously this is a different version of Earth than the one I’m from.”
“I’m sorry, but you have said strings of words that make absolutely no sense to me. And I’m sure it’s not because of the head injury.”
Dr. Strange gave her a lopsided smile. “I’m sorry, I assumed when I appeared in a dungeon surrounded by what seemed to be mystical ingredients that you were aware of things that are more than normal.”
“Oh, I’m a witch, I’m aware of things that aren’t ‘normal,’ however, everything you have talked about are things that I’ve never heard of, and I make it a point to learn about everything.”
“How about we move somewhere that is not this concrete floor and get more comfortable before we discuss things further? With your head injury—”
Hermione felt around the floor around her and found her wand. “Accio concussion potion.”
A small bottle came whizzing into the room, and she caught it with one hand. Removing the stopper she downed the potion and immediately felt the affects.
Strange, who was still holding her face stared into her eyes, his own widening. “Amazing. Your pupil reaction was instantaneous. Are all the side effects gone?”
Hermione nodded. “Yeah. Concussion potion. Cures concussions.”
Strange kept his hands on the sides of her face, and Hermione felt it was weird that he wasn’t moving, and that she was completely okay with them staying there.
Strange must have noticed the same thing as her, because he slowly and reluctantly dropped his hands. “So, um, where am I?”
“Hogwarts, it’s a Wizarding school. I’m the Potions Mistress.”
Strange nodded. “I see.”
“You don’t see, do you?”
“Absolutely not. I think I am feeling as confused as you were when I was spouting off about myself.”
Hermione laughed. “Quite the pair we are.”
“Quite.”
Silence fell between the two.
“So, where did you appear? Maybe I can retrace our steps, and get you back to where you came from.”
Strange gestured behind him. “I appeared over there.”
Hermione looked where he was gesturing. It was the place her cauldron had been sitting. “Oh no.”
“What’s wrong?”
“I think my potion accident brought you here.”
“Why do you look really worried? Wait. Why can I feel how worried you are. Right here.” He brought his hand to the center of his chest.
“So, my potion was experimental. I was working on something that would simultaneously go to my friend who owns a joke shop and that I could publish about in a journal. It was supposed to help you find your soulmate. Except, not really. Just sort of something funny to use around Valentine’s Day. However, the potion kept failing. I just would become a cauldron of sludge. I tried something different today, an extra clockwise stir. That’s it. And the bloody thing exploded, and now, you are here.”
“Wait, so you’re saying a joke potion about soulmates ripped me out of my universe and brought me here?”
“Yes. And unfortunately, I don’t think that’s all. I’m pretty sure we now have a soul bond.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means that we are tethered together. Forever. It’s why you can feel my worry and I can feel your rising panic.”
Strange scoffed. “Panic? What panic? I don’t panic.”
Hermione sighed, absentmindedly rubbing her chest. “Look. I’ll do some research and see if we can sever the bond. Unfortunately, you may be stuck here for a while.”
Strange smiled at her. “I mean, I can think of worse places to be stuck than with a very attractive woman.”
Hermione blushed, and for the first time in a long time, felt like things were looking up.