Authors Note: This story is a cross over with Buffy, however none of the characters are present, and it is set in the Wizarding world. I have taken idea's from the show, but not the story lines. I would like to say thanks for giving this story a chance! I hope you like it. This is a remake of the first fanfic I ever wrote, and along with Let me Belong is one of my favourites. I have tried really hard to convey the feelings of alot of the characters you don't always read much about in this fic, so tell me what you think about that please?! Any feedback welcome.

Dumbledore's Army

Chapter 1

Gathering Shadows

He feeds on fear

He feeds on pain

He rules again

With growing hate he will gain

Their faith again

Deceiver of Fools- Within Temptation

- - - Unknown Forest - - -

Harry's eyes flickered over the shadowy faces. One man stood before the rest, his dark eyes starring straight into Harry's. He was not afraid of Harry as the rest were. They cowered in the darkness of the sheltering tree's. A single shaft of moonlight penetrated the foliage above. Harry could feel their fear. They knew what awaited them if they did not do his bidding.

The man, representing all present spoke with a calm deadly voice. " We will do as you say, my lord. I only hope that we can achieve what you ask in time".

Harry could feel a cold satisfied smirk run across his lips. " You will", he drawled. "If you know what's good for you."

The man tilted his head in a curt bow and turned to walk away. Harry watched him. He was confident. Perhaps too confident. Harry could feel his own eyes burning a hole in the man's back. One foot out of line and he was gone.

As the figures about him slowly departed, Harry looked to the one remaining figure.

"You know the job I wish you to do?" Harry asked of the cloaked man.

"I do" a raspy voice returned.

With a nod of his head, Harry dismissed the man. This was it. His master plan in play. He would return, as never before.

Harry woke with a start, cold sweat clinging to his clothes. This dream had plagued him every night since he had broken up from Hogwarts after his fifth year. Night after night he became Voldemort. He saw what he saw, did as he did, and he hated it! Running a hand through his limp, damp hair he looked about. He had been asleep since early that evening. Glancing at his beside clock he groaned. Only ten past twelve! He had hours yet before day would come, and then he'd be free of his terrible nightmares. Sighing, he laid back on his bed. Something was happening, something big. Things were changing. And this time, he knew it was inevitable.

- - - The Burrow - - -

"Ron! Ron!" Mrs Weasley shouted shrilly banging on the door to Ron's bedroom. It was morning, early morning. Ron's eyes opened slowly, but closed again the instant the light caught them. "Ronald Weasley if you aren't dressed and at the breakfast table in ten minutes, I'll send that bucket of water up again."

Groaning Ron rolled onto his side, quite happy to remain in bed all day. If his mum had had her way, he'd have been chasing gnomes about his garden for an hour already. Throwing the covers off himself he plodded, with one odd sock hanging off his foot, to the bathroom. As he had expected it was taken. Still half asleep he leant against the wall, ready to fall asleep again.

"Hurry up will you?" He shouted through the door. It was just another typical day at the Burrow he supposed. It wasn't long however before he was ready and sat around the table with his family.

"Ronald, when are you going to invite Hermione and Harry to Diagon Alley? You haven't been yet." Mrs Weasley questioned. "You always leave things too late", she declared dismally.

Ron just rolled his eyes and ate his breakfast. "You've only a few days left you know. It's a good job me and Ginny picked up your new school books!" She continued. Ron could tell she was trying to hint at something. It was discreet, but it was there. Harry hadn't been all summer to visit. In truth, Mrs Weasley was missing him. Ron had asked, and Harry had accepted, but he had not been allowed by Dumbledore. Ron had often wondered over the past few weeks if Dumbledore was all together there.

He had visited the Burrow not so long since and while there declared his love of 'fizzy cola bottles', whatever they were, to the whole room, quite delightedly. He had looked at Ron pointedly as he said it. This only served to add to Ron's growing fear that something with Dumbledore was not right.

"I reckon he's just got a sweet tooth", Fred had suggested later that day.

Well, whatever Dumbledore had, Ron thought, it could not be worse than poor Harry. From his letters Ron could work out only that he was suffering with awful nightmares, and even worse day dreams, which Harry seemed to take as real somehow.

As he bit into a fried egg sandwich Ron thought happily, 'At least Hermione's not gone mental over the summer. She must be missing us so much... Better write to her later or she'll complain.' A sly smile had worked it's way onto his face. 'Women!' He mused.

- - - High Mallow Graveyard - - -

Hermione wandered aimlessly through the graveyard. If Nigel had been right, the vampire should be surfacing any time soon. It was a lovely warm late summer's night. A gentle breeze blew through the tree's which bordered the cemetery. The sound of the leaves rustling against each other was music to Hermione's ears. She was scared. All alone in this quite spookily picturesque graveyard, with only a stake and her wand as protection. She hated the silence. Any sound was welcomed. It helped to mask her fear.

She glanced quickly at her watch. She had no idea where Nigel was! He was supposed to have met her here an hour ago. Being new to this whole thing wasn't fun. And being alone was even worse. At least when Nigel, her watcher, was there, she felt more at ease. It was that guilty sort of ease though. It comforted her to know that she wouldn't die alone. She resented feeling that way, but she was truly terrified. She had been in training for weeks, and she could feel her own power growing inside her, but she had only ever killed three vampires by herself. It was harder than she had ever imagined it could be. At first she had laughed in Nigel's face, then she had been in serious doubt, then she had become too curious for her own good, and then, well...here she was!

Sighing, she sat down on one of the benches. Hermione scanned the graveyard still hoping to see Nigel's head pop out from behind some tree's. He had done that quite often. Hide behind things as she went about her duty, and her daily life. He had scared her mother half to death when he followed the family down the road, dressed as a huge chicken in advertisement for the butcher. It made her smile at least.

Inhaling deeply Hermione began to drum her fingers against the wood. Waiting was the worst part. But then when it came to surfacing time she always decided that that was the worst part instead. Impatiently, she began to drum her fingers harder on the wood.

It was not long before her wait was over. The sound of breaking wood could be heard loud and clear cutting through the night. Hermione rose slowly, and made her way to stand behind a tree, peering out and watching intently.

The vampire, a young man, staggered out of his grave. It was clear from his tumbling and dazed expression that he was utterly bewildered. It was not long however before he balanced himself and surveyed his surroundings. It seemed to dawn on him who he was, or rather what he was. With a smug grin he began to prowl around, posing and fighting the air. After a while of parading around, he stopped. It was as if he could smell something. He had definitely picked up on something's scent as he slowly moved about, his nose leading the way.

Hermione knew immediately that the scent was hers. Quickly, she glanced upwards. She could hide in the tree maybe? Leaning her head against the bark in an attempt to think, she left herself completely open to attack. As she lifted her head back, out of the corner of her eye she saw the young vampire stood beside her. The look in his eyes was wild and excited. Hermione stumbled back a few steps.

Instinctively she reached for her wand, but as she delved her hand into her pocket she felt reluctantly that she had to take the stake. At this moment in time, she was a slayer, not a witch.

"Here goes nothing", she muttered to herself.

The vampire kept drawing closer and closer to her. Hermione was waiting for him to make the first move. She was not strong enough yet to launch the first attack. That was a mistake Nigel had warned her against. The vampire said nothing, just smirked. Without warning he attempted to kick her in the chest. Hermione without thinking caught his foot in her hands. The vampire looked taken aback, but seemed ready for the fight.

He lashed out with his other leg and spun, kicking her in the side. She let go out his foot. As she did he kickied her again in the stomach. She flew over backwards over a bench and landed with a 'thud' on the soft grass. Rolling over in agony, Hermione tried her hardest to get to her feet before he caught up with her. She wasn't quick enough though. With his foot against her back, he trampled her to the ground again.

"Going somewhere?" He jeered. The stake was still in Hermione's hand. With one last effort she reached her free hand behind her back and grabbed his trouser bottom. Yanking it as hard as she could, she tripped him. He fell on the floor beside her. Taking this opportunity, Hermione rolled onto her back and clambered to her feet. As she did, so did the vampire. Ducking to the ground, Hermione stuck out her leg and spun. Once again he fell to the floor. Shakily, Hermione jabbed the stake through his chest and into his heart.

He squirmed on the floor up until the moment he exploded into dust. Coughing and spluttering, Hermione got up. Wiping herself down, she could sense another presence. This one she recognised. It was Nigel.

"Where have you been?" She shrieked accusingly rounding on Nigel.

Nigel stood with his mouth slightly open, taking in the scene. He was quite a handsome young man. He was no older than thirty two. He was by no means tall, and yet he wasn't small. He was a comfortable height. Hermione adored his boyish appearance. His hair was blonde and parted in the middle, falling around his head quite freely, but cut off before his ears. It was thick though, and smooth. He occasionally wore glasses for reading, but otherwise managed quite fine without them. He was toned, and very fit. Often he would ditch his books and take Hermione on a morning long run, then send her straight to the training room which was equipped with machinery Hermione had only seen on QVC while her mum had been in a fitness phase.

"Sorry", Nigel apologised. He looked somewhat flustered. "Went to the wrong grave..." he admitted shamefully.

Rolling her eyes Hermione nudged him. "Don't do it again. I get so bloody scared it's horrid!"

Nodding, Nigel inclined his head, and then lead them both out of the cemetery. "Well, you did a good job taking him all on your own", Nigel commented impressed.

Hermione could only shrug. "I had no choice", she mumbled. "He just flew at me". Nigel examined her face as they walked through the gates. He understood her uneasiness. He felt it too. He hadn't yet let on he was just out of training himself. He hadn't been entirely sure why they had given him the slayer. Usually they gave the new slayer to someone more experienced, but not this time. He had suspected it was because he was a wizard. Therefore the connection between slayer and watcher would be more developed. Whatever the reason was though, he had initially questioned it.

Nigel walked Hermione home, her house was on the way to his. "Don't forget", he said as he left her at the front gates of her house, "To call in tomorrow to finalise all our arrangements concerning Hogwarts. We need to clarify them before we head back there. It's not long now."

Hermione nodded feebly. In an attempt to comfort her Nigel patted her arm awkwardly. It at least made Hermione giggle. "We'll have to work on your cheering me up skills", she joked.

Nigel looked to his arm, "Perhaps your right" he agreed. As he was about to turn to carry on down the road he whispered, "Goodnight".

"Night Nigel" Hermione replied fondly.

Hope you enjoyed that! Thanks for reading this far. Please review as it encourages me to write more, and also to get a general idea of where to take the story.

Thanks

Miri