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Captain Jean-Luc Picard walked into the transporter room of the U.S.S Enterprise and raised a non-existent eyebrow at the sight that greeted him.
Chief Engineer Geordi La Forge's hands flew over the console, working three screens at once. Standing beside her, comparing something between his portable screen and the one set up in front of him, was Second Officer Data.
The pair greeted him as he walked into the room. Geordi beckoned him over to the calculations she was manipulating.
"Report," he said, glancing over the screens.
"Two days ago, during routine maintenance and calibration of the transporter, we received a signal," she said.
Picard's other eyebrow raised. They were only a month into their latest exploration of deep space. They hadn’t expected to find anything yet.
She continued, "It lasted for less than two seconds, and if I hadn't been working the console, we would have missed it."
"I've been attempting to decode the information we received," Data piped up, synthetic voice flat with the slightest hint of annoyance. "However, progress is slow."
Captain Picard looked between the pair. "What have you discovered?"
"It was a transport request, but we don't know from where." Geordi tapped a few keys, and the screens cleared of math and became a map detailing their path through the black void of space. "For the first half of the signal, there is no end point, it just is. Then, at the end…"
She tapped a key and the screen turned white. "It comes from everywhere at once."
Picard put his hand on his chin.
"Yesterday, it happened again," Data said, fiddling with his datapad. "We were able to compare the signals against each other, and they matched. Perfectly."
"Could it be a damaged ship?" Picard asked. "Running on emergency power?"
"Unlikely," Data stated. "I've cross-referenced ship logs in this area, and we are the first to take this route in centuries."
"I checked the computer, and this signal started appearing a week ago. It was logged as background noise." Geordi frowned. "Captain, it has happened at the same time for the same length of time, each time."
"What do you think it is?" Picard asked.
Geordi shared a look with Data, who shook his head, before she answered, "We don't know."
An alarm beeped, and his officers jumped back to their consoles.
"It's happening again," Geordi said.
"Locking onto signal," Data said. "Narrowing parameters."
"It's lasting much longer this time," she stated. "I think we might be able to open communication."
"Target acquired, permission to connect?" Data asked.
"Granted," Picard answered. "Restrict to verbal only."
The clicking of buttons was being steadily overtaken by a whining noise. Before it became ear piercingly loud, there was a wash of static, and the noise cleared.
A man's voice rang through the transporter room. "...Only happens to me. I don't understand."
"Hello, can you hear me?" Picard spoke up.
"Bloody hell," came the reply. "I've been here so long I'm hearing voices."
"My name is Captain Jean-Luc Picard. To whom am I speaking with?"
"At least the voices are polite," was heard, along with a huff. "Hello, Captain Picard. My name is Harry Potter."
Picard looked at Data, who nodded and began looking up the name.
"Mr. Potter, are you in need of assistance?"
"Just Harry is fine. Mr. Potter was my father." Harry's tone was full of amusement. "And yes, I am in need of help."
He looked to Geordi this time, but she shook her head.
"Where are you, Harry?"
"Uh, I don't know. It's kind of a void."
"Are there any stars or other things that you can see?"
Harry chuckled. "It's a void, Captain Picard. There isn't anything to see."
"Sir," Geordi said. "I've managed a partial lock on his location, but it keeps shifting."
"Is it enough to try transporting him?" Picard asked.
"Possible, but dangerous," Date answered. "High chance of limb loss and moderate chance of death."
"Story of my life." Harry snorted. "If you and the other voices think you have a way of getting me out of this hell, go for it."
"The risks are-"
Harry cut off Data's explanation. "Acceptable."
"Very well, we will attempt to bring you aboard." While his crew began preparations, Picard strode over to the communication panel on the wall and keyed in. "This is Picard to bridge."
"Go ahead, Captain," replied First Officer William Riker. He was at the helm while Picard dealt with this mess.
"Send security down to the Transporters and tell Medical to be alert and ready."
"Understood. Anything else?"
"Core power draw," Geordi spoke up.
"Possible high power usage," Picard repeated.
"I'll alert Engineering."
"Picard out."
"Godspeed, Captain, don't blow us all up."
Worf, Head of Security, arrived ten minutes later with two red-shirted crew members at his heels.
"Captain." His voice was gravelly and low as he entered the room. "I must caution you against bringing aboard an unknown entity."
"Noted," Picard said. "If he is a threat, I trust you to deal with him."
Worf crossed his arms, feeling the weight of the Bat'leth on his back. "Naturally."
The other two security members holding guns set to stun stood on either side of the transporter while Worf joined his Captain directly in front of the pad.
"How long?" Picard asked the room.
"We are ready to begin," Data said.
The room lit up, lights dancing through the transporter pad. It coalesced into a standing humanoid figure. Unlike every other transportation Picard had seen, the swirling lights around the figure didn't dissipate.
"This could be rough," Geordi said. "We've reached a five percent power draw from the core."
At fifteen percent, the intensity of the lights waxed and waned for a minute before dimming and fading.
Picard took in the man that stood wide-eyed and open-mouthed before them. Messy black hair sat above vibrant green eyes. He wore a red leather overcoat with a pattern similar to scales on it. Underneath that were well-worn jeans and a t-shirt that said 'The Weird Sisters' with some sort of creature behind the logo.
After a few moments of gawking from both sides, Picard stepped forward.
/\/\/\/\
\/\/\/\/
Harry Potter was not ashamed to admit he was staring. After floating in an infinite abyss of nothing, the room and its occupants were a welcome break. The walls and floor were smooth steel, with soft white lights along the ceiling. Directly in front of him were two beings in similar uniforms to the others. One was a human with no hair, and the other reminded him of a Gringotts Goblin. The creature was taller than a Goblin, but held itself in similar manner to other warriors Harry had met.
It looked male and carried a weapon, but the dark skin and multiple ridges upon its forehead were alien to him.
The bald man stepped forward and offered his hand. "I am Captain Jean-Luc Picard. Welcome aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise."
Harry blinked at him. "You're real."
One of the men in red shirts coughed.
Remembering his manners, Harry shook the offered hand. "The Enterprise? Am I on a ship?"
"Indeed," Picard replied. "We were on a mission to explore deep space when we received your distress signal."
Harry blinked, hand still gripping Picard’s. "Space. We are in space."
The being next to Picard glared at him.
Behind the captain, one of the humans with strangely sallow skin and eyes spoke up. "I am surprised you came through in one piece."
"I've gotten pretty good at dodging Death," Harry said, letting go of Picard's hand and turning towards the being next to him. He offered his hand again, or at least, he tried.
There was a pop as his right hand disconnected at the wrist and fell from Picard's slackening grip. It hit the smooth metal of the floor with a 'plap' and blood began to drip from his wound.
"Bugger," he said. He dropped to his knees, revelling at the sensation of gravity again, and snatched up his wandering appendage. He lined up his wrist and pressed his hand against it.
He hissed as the nerves reconnected and stood. Flexing his hand to make sure it worked, he offered it again. "Harry Potter."
"Worf," the creature replied, not taking his hand. Harry didn't blame him; he knew where that thing had been.
"Apologies about the blood," Harry said, a grin spreading on his face. "I thought I had a handle on it."
"Does this happen often?" Captain Picard said, eyeing the bloodstain with curiosity.
"More than I would like," Harry admitted. "Thank you very much for pulling me out of there."
"And where were you? Our computers couldn't pinpoint your location even though we could talk," a woman standing near a complicated-looking computer asked.
Harry shrugged. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you."
"Perhaps you can tell me over a cup of tea," Captain Picard offered.
"Oh Merlin, please. I haven't had a good cuppa in too long."
/\/\/\/\
\/\/\/\/
Captain Jean-Luc Picard regarded the man across his desk. Between them sat the remains of their tea, long since gone cold as Harry told his story.
"Let me make sure I have this right," he said. "You are a wizard and wield magic, which gives you control over the reality around you. Some years ago, you were researching a magic portal that your Godfather fell through. During this examination, you accidently tripped and fell into the portal, which is how you ended up all alone in a void."
"When you put it like that," Harry said, swirling the dregs of his tea around, "it sounds crazy."
"I have encountered many fantastical things while travelling the stars, Harry Potter." Picard leaned back. "Your story is up there, but it isn't the craziest thing I've come across."
"I only gave you the condensed version," Harry admitted. "We'd be here all night otherwise."
Picard nodded in acquience. "Now, where do we go from here? We aren't expecting to see civilization for a while now, and I'm sure you want to find a way home."
Harry rubbed the back of his head. "About that. You see, I have a way of getting back home, but I couldn't use it in the void."
Picard tilted his head. "Why not?"
"Hard to write a magical circle without a flat surface"
"I will take your word for it. Is there assistance I can offer?"
"Well, if you're offering," Harry drawled. "I just need an empty spot away from anything electrical."
"The entire ship runs off electricity from a power core. Everything here is heavily shielded against all types of radiation."
Harry smiled. "Good to know. Me and technology don't always get along."
"Do tell."
/\/\/\/\
\/\/\/\/
"I fail to see how these shapes will transport you home," Data said, standing near the door.
Harry finished the final rune and stowed his wand away. "Thankfully, your lack of belief won't affect the end result."
They were in a ship bay next to the main bay. It was primarily used for repairs and, as such, housed spare parts instead of actual vehicles. The good Captain had emptied the room and gave him permission to set down a runic circle.
"I don't understand how belief has any bearing on what you are attempting."
Harry stared at the man/android/man-droid. "It's magic, Data. If you don't believe it works, it won't."
"Ignore him," Worf said, a permanent frown on his face. "He won't admit to anything without results."
"Ah." Harry nodded. "I see."
He turned back to check on his handiwork. A large black circle, with runes along the inner rim, took up a majority of the metal floor. Inside it was a smaller circle with a rune lining, and inside that was a third circle with the Deathly Hallows dead center.
The damn thing was a good fifteen feet across.
"What's the significance of the rune in the center?" Data asked.
"It's not a rune." Harry grimaced. "It's more akin to a family crest. It will help me find my way home."
He stood in the center of the circle and waved. "Thanks for all your help. See you soon."
Before either man could question him, the black lines lit up with power. A wind whipped through the room, and the lights went out.
When the wind stopped and the glow from the magic circle faded, Harry Potter was gone.
The black lines of the runic circle remained.
"Do you think he will come back?" Data asked, eyes fixed on the spot Harry had been standing.
"Hopefully not," Worf answered.
The communication panel next to him chimed. "Bridge to Worf, we just had a fluctuation in the power core."
"Harry just disappeared via magic."
"That would explain it," Captain Picard said. "He claimed his magic interferes with advanced electronics."
"And you didn't tell me this why?" Worf growled.
"Slipped my mind."
/\/\/\/\
\/\/\/\/
Ensign Roberts sighed and wheeled the bucket and mop into Vehicle Side Bay J. For the last two weeks, every punishment handed out to a red shirt had been to clean this area. Someone had decided to prank Command and draw nonsense on the floor.
Roberts grabbed the mop and began fruitlessly scrubbing. After thirty minutes had passed and he'd worked up a good sweat, he looked over the floor. None of the chemicals provided had even chipped the black paint.
He abandoned his cleaning and walked towards the wall comm unit, intent on asking for something stronger.
Right before he reached his destination, wind appeared out of nowhere, buffeting against him. All the lights in the room went out while the paint he had spent too much of his life trying to clean lit up like a Christmas tree.
He crouched against the wall, trying to keep his balance when it all stopped. The circle had stopped glowing and the wind disappeared.
Someone chuckled. "That's not going to work."
A man wearing strange clothes stood in the center of the circle, pointing at the mop and bucket Roberts had left nearby.
"What?" Roberts replied eloquently.
"You can't clean this off," the man said. "Now, please alert Captain Picard of my arrival."
"Why? Who are you?"
"Harry Potter, your captain helped me out of a bind, and now I've returned to show my gratitude." Harry pulled out a small bag. "I know how hard it can be to find fresh tea out here."
Roberts nodded, not quite following the conversation. He was starting to regret transferring to the Enterprise. Hopefully nothing else crazy happened.