"Last I knew, I've been off fighting abroad along the edges of Shaldorn, but ...but I haven't seen Hermione in some time." While he doesn't know Octavia and isn't quite ready to really trust her, she's saying the right names and that's enough to get him to follow along. If it's a trap, or something untoward, he knows he can handle himself.

"What did the other-me do here?"