Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to Final Fantasy 7. Square-Enix owns that. I don't own Harry Potter. That belongs to J. K. Rowling. There is a little bit of OOCness. I don't mean to. However, I am not used to writing Harry Potter fanfiction. In fact, this is my first thing to write seriously that has to do with Harry Potter. And sorry if I seem to focus a little much on Vincent. He is my favorite character. And this does take place in Harry's 6th year. Mainly just because I need him at Hogwarts right now.

Author's note: Please review. Just don't flame because I don't like those and I don't have enough time or patience to deal with them right now. And this is pre-Meteor. Also, there will be a sequel to this fanfic that's post-Meteor. Just to let you know…

Convergence of Time

By Aurora M. Tepes

Chapter 1: New Faces in School

It was only a short stop, or, at least, that's what it was meant to be. Yuffie had insisted on checking out that cave at the edge of town. They just had to check out what was inside. It was what they had believed to be raw materia, but they couldn't really tell.

Now, thanks to the ninja brat, they were in a completely different reality. The group had found themselves trudging across unfamiliar landscape. They had come to a strange castle. There they had found allies.

Professor Dumbledore had welcomed them in, understood their plight. He knew what had brought them. He knew where the problem lay.

It was a twist of fate, a twinge of destiny that had brought those 8 to England, just as Voldemort's power grew. And only the end of that twist of fate could take them back. Oh, they wouldn't take part in Voldemort's death, that was decided. But they would have to stay and see that their own demons did not destroy the vague peace that reigned over this other dimension.

"Also," Dumbledore continued, (for he and the FF7 gang had been talking about arrangements for the year), "I need a new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. All he or she would need to teach is safety and use of Muggle weapons and usage of Materia." The group looked at one another before going into a huddle. After a moment, they broke and Cloud stepped forward.

"We have decided that Tifa Lockheart should take that post," he announced. Dumbledore smiled kindly at Tifa and the group left the office.

At the feast…

Harry, Ron and Hermione walked in and sat down wearily in their seats at the long Gryffindor table. It was raining hard and the wind was treacherous. As they began to look around, they noticed some people they had never seen the likes of before positioned at different parts of the great hall.

The one nearest to the staff table had long, soft-looking, messy black hair that framed his pale, perfect face. A red headband was wrapped around his forehead. Crimson eyes stared unblinkingly and unemotionally out at the crowd of students. A high-collared red cape fell around his form, obstructing any view of his left arm. Otherwise he wore all black, with belts crossing over his chest and one around his waist. From his knees down, however, was armour. A long gun hung in a holster by his side.

The one nearest to the door was a man with spiky blond hair and glowing blue eyes. He wore a dark purple, sleeveless outfit and brown shoes. On his shoulders were metal plates. An extremely oversized butcher's knife was strapped to his back. He was staring at them, focusing on taking in the spectacle.

Halfway up the hall, on the left side, (nearest the windows), was another man. He had dark skin and was extremely muscular. On his upper body he wore only a tattered tan-colored vest and ammo belts. On his right arm was a mini-machine gun. He wore army-green, baggy pants and large brown boots. His black eyes looked around the room once in a while, but he mainly just stared at the ceiling.

Across from the dark-skinned man was a thinner man with a cigarette in his mouth and goggles pushed up on his forehead. He had very short blond hair. He wore a white shirt under a blue jacket on which the sleeves were rolled up. He had on blue pants and rather nice looking black shoes. He sneered at all the students as they passed. In his hand was a spear.

In a corner behind the staff table was an over-stuffed, giant, white cat…thing. Perched on its head was a smaller, thinner, black cat-thing with wings.

Opposite that over-stuffed cat was a girl who looked no older than 16. She was wearing plain black robes. However, she carried a shuraiken(sp?) in her gloved hands.

A red lion looking thing with tattoos all over its body patrolled the aisles.

The first years entered and were sorted. Dumbledore called for silence. Everyone looked at him, deliberately avoiding the eyes of the strangers.

"It is a pleasure to say: Welcome back to Hogwarts this year!" Dumbledore said warmly. "Now, I know that you are all wondering who we got for the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher." He chuckled. "I would like to introduce Professor Tifa Lockheart!" The students began applauding as Tifa stood, nodded, and sat back down. "Do not worry, she has no relationship to Gilderoy Lockheart." All of the students cringed. "Now, I'm sure you all noticed our new bodyguards. They are from a special defense group called AVALANCHE that I have asked to guard this school this year.

"They come from Japan, and they can speak English fluently so don't treat them like idiots. I'm going to introduce each one of them. They are here for your protection, so please feel free to go to them with any security concerns you have. Also, they are extremely proficient in healing. There, at the back, is Mr. Cloud Strife." The blond swordsman nodded as the students half-applauded, half-twisted to get a better look at him. "Right here we have Mr. Vincent Valentine." The students applauded as the man in red narrowed his eyes and shifted his gaze. "There by the window is Mr. Barret Wallace." Barret smirked. "Opposite him is Cid Highwind." Cid just took his cigarette out of his mouth and inspected it for a moment. "To my back right is Cait Sith." Cait Sith waved. "And opposite him is Yuffie Kisaragi." Yuffie cocked her head to one side. "And prowling around here somewhere is Red XIII, a creature that acts as a familiar to all of the AVALANCHE members. Let the feast begin!"

Food appeared and the students chose to indulge their hunger instead of worrying about what the strangers looked like. Harry and his friends noticed Snape glaring around at them suspiciously and Dumbledore and Professor Lockheart seemed to be having a nice conversation.

Soon though, the feast was over and the students, much overcome by sleep, went to their dormitories.

In the Great Hall after the feast…

The students had been sent off to their dormitories. The teachers were ready to head off to bed themselves. The bodyguards came together along with Professor Lockheart in the middle of the room. Soon, Professors Dumbledore, Snape, and McGonagal joined them.

"How did you enjoy the feast?" Dumbledore asked politely. The bodyguards had eaten before hand and therefore weren't hungry when the students arrived.

"It was…interesting," Tifa said. The others remained silent.

"Do you want to retire for the night or are you staying up a bit longer?" McGonagal questioned politely. Though she knew what the situation was, she still wasn't comfortable with it.

"If we're supposed to be protecting the students then we should do our job," Vincent said quietly. Yuffie yawned.

"But I'm tiiiirreeeeeed!" she whined. No one said anything for a moment.

"Yeah, tin man. Besides, this ain't one a your old assignments! Don't take it so seriously!" Barret said.

"And you would say the same if Marlene were here?" Vincent countered. The gun-armed man was silent; his companion had hit his weak point.

"Well, you know that you don't have to actually guard the castle! That is just your cover, right?" McGonagal said. Cloud raised an eyebrow.

"No, we intend to actually do what we're supposed to be doing," Red said. "Besides, magic won't save you from everything."

"Also, we don't know if anyone else from our dimension followed us through," Cloud said. "Who knows, some of the monsters may be roaming the country and they will most likely come to us seeing as how we are from the same world. How would it look for the school if students began dying due to attacks by monsters?" Yuffie yawned again.

"Do what you want, choco boy. I'm hittin' the sack!" Yuffie announced, heading out. Cait Sith bounced after her.

"Headmaster, are you completely sure we can trust these people?" Snape sneered, glaring at Vincent whose cape had now been moved back to reveal his claw. Vincent stared back with no hint of emotion.

"I trust them completely, Severus," Dumbledore assured. "Ah, though it might be better, Miss Lockheart, if you don't join your friends in their nightly vigils." Tifa nodded.

"Well, Miss Lockheart, I hope you'll do better than our last teacher by that name." Tifa raised an eyebrow.

"Who? That Gil guy?" she asked. "At any rate, I'd better turn in. Professor Dumbledore's right, I won't be any use to anyone half-asleep. Good night, everyone." Tifa left.

"You want to take the first night?" Cloud asked Vincent. Vincent nodded. "Good. Red, you should probably take the watch with him. Tomorrow night we'll switch out."

"Why?" Vincent asked.

"What do you mean?"

"Why should we switch out?"

"Well, you're going to want some sleep, aren't you?"

"After 30 years of it, I think I can spare a few nights," Vincent responded. Snape started.

"30 years?" he demanded. Vincent nodded. "What were you doing?"

"Atoning," Vincent replied as he turned and left the room. Red turned and followed suit.

End of Chapter 1.

Aurora: So, how did you like it? I hope it was okay. Please no flames, I'm low on HP and everything that will replenish it. This is my first Harry Potter fic, so please be kind.