Title: Tá An Cogadh

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the computer I type my ideas on. JK Rowling owns everything pertaining to Harry Potter and Joss Whedon owns everything pertaining to Buffy and Faith the Vampire Slayers as well as those on Angel the Series.

Author's Note: This story is mostly AU. Anything that is not familiar to the books, movie, or TV show are considered to be an alternate universe. Hermione and Faith are 15 years old.

Summary: I'm not sure, this idea came to me and I thought I would pursue it. What would happen if Hermione had a twin sister – what if she was in trouble and their parents tried to keep them separated? Then again, Voldemort has returned to the wizarding world with plans of world domination – will anyone stand oppose him?

888

Hermione was on the train ride home from the fourth year of Hogwarts. The ride was a somber event, the memory of what happened just a few short weeks previously still fresh in everyone's mind. Cedric Diggory's body had been returned to Hogwarts with Harry, though neither had returned unscathed – Cedric unfortunately hadn't survived the trip to the Riddle graveyard as he was killed trying to protect Harry.

Harry hadn't spoken a word to anyone after Dumbledore rescued him from Barty Crouch Jr. who had been impersonating Mad-eye Moody for the entire school year. Hermione breathed a silent sigh of relief when she felt the train slowing down and the train station ahead, she generally liked the quiet it helped her think but this was tense silence. It was slowly driving her mad.

The trio exited the train, seeing the Weasley's almost immediately because of their red hair. "I'll see you guys later, my parents are on the other side of the barrier." Hermione replied after exchanging pleasantries with Molly and Arthur.

"Bye Hermione."

Hermione exited the barrier reentering the muggle world. "Mum." Hermione smiled. "Dad."

"Hermione." Brennan smiled hugging his little girl close to him.

Nerissa added, "-darling."

"I've missed you both." Hermione said as they started walking towards the parking lot.

Nerissa nodded, "-we missed you too. How was your school year?"

Hermione remained silent for several minutes while they loaded her trunk in the boot thinking of the best way to describe the year she'd just finished. "It was eventful." She answered softly getting into the back seat of the family car effectively halting any more questions. Her parents exchanged a look before getting into the car and before long they were driving out of London.

888

"I have a confession to make." Faith responded softly when she saw the blond detective head her way. She saw Angel and Buffy a few feet away, a look of shock on her face and the vampire just looked worried his hands cuffed behind his back. Within minutes her story had been told and she was lead down the cell block to a holding cell, pending on a trial and sentencing.

It was days later when Detective Lockley came to her cell and commented, "-it's time."

Faith looked up and stood. Handcuffed, she followed the armed officers down the hallway and into a small bus that had seats with chains to keep prisoners in their seats but also a chained door blocking the prisoners from the driver and the officer escorting them.

"Please state your name for the court." The judge requested, staring at the brunette wearing the orange jumper from the jail.

"Faith Lehane." Faith answered carefully.

The judge glanced down at the paper in front of her before requesting, "-state your date of birth and where you were born."

"September 19, 1988. Boston, Massachusetts." She answered.

The judge glanced up from the brunette's file and folded her hands together. "My file says differently." She replied sternly before questioning, "-would you care to modify any of your answers?"

"My birth name is Perdita Faith Granger; I was born September 19, 1979 in London, England." She said knowing she was unable to escape her past before her watcher, but added, "I legally became Faith Lehane in Boston on September 19, 1988."

The judge seemed satisfied by the answer. "Now how do you plead to the charges that were disclosed?"

"Guilty."

"Before I make a ruling, I would like for you to have six sessions with a court appointed psychologist." The judge commented while writing something down. "We will reconvene this hearing in two weeks time." The sentence was punctuated by the gavel being slammed against the desk. The armed guard led her from the courtroom.

The two weeks and the six sessions passed quickly for Faith and soon enough she was lead out of the holding cell and into the transporting truck before being led into the courtroom. She paused only a moment when she saw two familiar looking people with brown hair – one with curly hair and the other with short thick brown hair. The guard gently led her to her seat, the handcuffs heavy on her wrists, around her waist and her ankles.

"All rise, court is now in session." The bailiff began. "Judge Katherine McKay is presiding."

"Thank you, you may take a seat." Judge McKay said. "Miss Granger, I've reviewed the file written by the psychologist." She continued getting right down to business. "I've also had my clerks get in touch with your parents; you'll notice them in the courtroom. Do you have anything to say?"

Faith stood and responded, "-no ma'am." She wasn't sure why the politeness came back as she reclaimed her seat, but she was sure it had to do with her parents being so close.

"Mr. and Mrs. Granger." Judge McKay began addressing the pair. "Do you have anything to add, I believe my clerks and the arresting detective have briefed you on what has transpired."

Faith kept her eyes forward, refusing to meet the eyes of her parents. She heard them shuffle forward to stand near where she was seated. She was only partly interested in the fact that her sister was not present but knowing how their family worked she wasn't really surprised.

"Your honor we only have a basic understanding of your laws here." Nerissa began softly. "Would it be prudent to ask that she be returned to the United Kingdom and to her family?"

Judge McKay looked thoughtful before answering, "I had harbored that thought, but unfortunately due to her crimes I don't foresee that being possible. Unless the arresting detective rescinds on the charges or allows her to be deported back to England even though she is here with a valid visa and is considered a United States Citizen."

"Where is your guardian?" Brennan asked Faith before looking up at the judge with an apologetic expression on his face.

Faith looked up to see the judge nod to answer the question. "Professor Dormer passed away about a year and a half ago." She answered softly. She knew her parents were aware of her potential status but she wasn't sure about the judge.

"So you've been on your own all this time?" Nerissa asked in her motherly like tone, nearly causing Faith to roll her eyes. "How did you survive?"

Angrily Faith turned to her parents for the first time since she was taken in by Professor Dormer. "I'm not completely helpless, mother." She hissed, sneering at the word mother. "Hermione and I have been on our own longer than you've played mom. Where is Mione? Hm? At a boarding school for ten months while you two focus on the practice and each other?" She turned back towards the judge. "I'll take prison over going back to them, your honor."

"Perdita!" Nerissa gasped.

Judge McKay cut into the argument that was surly going to start. "I've made my decision." She announced getting the three brunettes attention. "Because you are a minor, I would like to keep you here in Los Angeles to do some community service while satisfying the stipulation provided by Detective Lockly. She has petitioned that you serve a total three years at the LA Penitentiary for Women." She continued. "Perdita you do have the option of petitioning to have your case reviewed in eighteen months if you are on good behavior."

Faith nodded once showing that she understood her sentence.

"You'll complete a total of 100 hours of community service." Judge McKay advised. "Do you have a preference as to the type of service you do?"

"No ma'am."

"Do you have anything to say to the court before I close this case?" Judge McKay asked gesturing towards Faith's parents.

"Three years?" Nerissa questioned. "She will be nearly eighteen by then."

"Thank god, you can add." Faith muttered crossly, earning a stern look from the judge. "Sorry, ma'am." She replied softly.

"Yes, Detective Lockly has decided not to prosecute Miss. Granger as an adult for the crimes that have been committed based on the recommendation of the psychologist. That would mean by law she could be released as early as age eighteen."

"Your clerks didn't tell us what the crimes that Perdita committed." Brennan stated. "You keep referring to them, but you haven't notified the court of what they are."

Judge McKay looked slightly surprised at his comment. "Miss Granger, would you like to advise them what the crimes are?"

"Assault and battery here in LA that caused a death."

"Perdita!" Brennan gasped. "How did this happen?"

Faith looked down. "It doesn't matter, I'm here now to make things right." She answered. "Tell Mione that I say hi."

888

"Mum?" Hermione called coming down the stairs. "Dad?" She added walking into the kitchen. It'd been a quiet couple of days between her and her parents. Neither person wanting to talk about much that had happened while she was away – which was slightly worrisome for Hermione. She and her parents always had an open relationship and now it seemed that they were closing her out.

Walking back into the sitting room she found a picture of her and Perdita when they were four years old or so. They were in matching red holiday dresses with matching smiles on their faces. She often wondered what happened to her sister, her parent's never telling her about the missing teen. In fact, they didn't really seem to miss her.

"What's this?" She whispered seeing two used tickets to Los Angeles, California that were dated the beginning of May of that year. "Odd, why would they be going to the States?" She murmured. She wasn't aware that they knew of anyone in the States, and it didn't look like it was for a dentistry conference.

It was six o'clock exactly when her parents walked in the front door to find the table set and dinner nearly completed. "Hello darling." Nerissa greeted kissing her cheek. "How was your day?"

Biting her tongue at the need to mention the discovery of the ticket she replied, "-productive." She looked at her dad who was loosening his tie and said, "-dinner is almost ready; why don't you two go upstairs and wash up."

"Thank you, Hermione." Brennan said before adding, "-it smells delicious."

Twenty minutes later Hermione stood to clear the table and calmly asked, "-what was in Los Angeles?"

Both of her parents glanced worriedly at each other before Brennan finally answered, "Perdita."

Shocked at the response she grabbed the counter. "Why is Perdita in Los Angeles?" She asked. "In fact, where has she been all this time?"

Nerissa stood up and approached her daughter but stopped at the glare she received. "Your father and I were blessed with two very special children, Hermione." She finally sighed. "You are a witch, a talented one at that and Perdita..." she glanced helplessly at Brennan.

"Perdita is, or was, a potential slayer." Brennan finished for his wife. "She needed to be taken to be trained by what is called the watcher's council just like you need to be trained by Hogwarts."

"Why didn't you tell me?" She asked.

Brennan glanced at Nerissa before answering, "-you both were so young when Professor Dormer came to collect Perdita that we didn't know how to tell you."

"But why didn't she come home?"

Nerissa's heart broke a bit at the question. "Her situation is different than yours, dear."

"You go to a school and have holidays." Brennan explained carefully. "She doesn't."

"Professor Dormer explained that she would need to be completely immersed into that way of life. Whether or not she would be called to be the slayer – while the chance was rare but still possible – she needed to fully understand her duty."

"Doesn't explain why she's in Los Angeles and why you went to see her." Hermione reminded her parents after several moments of silence to ponder what they told her.

"Perdita got into some legal trouble." Brennan finally told her. "We were there to find out what we could do to help her situation."

"And?"

"There's a possibility that we won't see Perdita until she's released from their legal system at eighteen."

"I want to see her." Hermione said her voice shaking at knowing her twin was in trouble and was upset that she didn't know about it – that she didn't sense it. "I need to see her." She stressed when it looked like her parents were going to argue.

"I'm not sure that's possible." Brennan said softly, his heart aching for his daughters.

Hermione narrowed her eyes, "-why?"

"She's very angry with us." Nerissa said sadly.

Hermione snorted, "-she's angry with you, not me." She turned on her heel to leave the room calling over her shoulder, "I'll find one way or another to get to LA to see her, with or without your help."

End pt 1

Author's Notes: Name pronunciations - Perdita (PER-di-tah) and Nerissa (neh RISS ah)