By: And on the contrary
Disclaimer: Not ours. Anything recognized from Buffy is obviously owned by the genius known as Joss Whedon. Anything recognized from Harry Potter is owned by J.K. Rowling.
Summary: Well this story is AU. Can't really say anything with out giving it away, but if you have any questions, feel free to ask. Oh it's set during Order of the Phoenix, like right at the beginning. And it's set during 2nd season of Buffy.
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"Argh!" the man cried as she jumped on him, red hair flying wildly.
The dark-haired man sat down and the girl giggled as he started tickling her. She wiggled out of his grasp and started crawling across the floor. He grabbed her foot and pulled her back. She screamed with delight. Then there was a knock on the door.
The girl's mom went to the door and opened it with a gasp. The man pulled the little girl away. She struggled against him to see what her mom was doing. The man set her down beside three boys who had quizzical looks on their faces.
"We need her," one of the mysterious people said quite smoothly.
"No-'' her mom started.
"Just listen to them," the man said.
"What's going on?" her dad asked, outraged, as he ran down the stairs.
"We need her," the voice said again.
The girl's dad's eyes widened. He started heading over to her, but before her could reach her the person muttered something under his breath. Her dad stopped dead in his tracks. The man pushed past her mom and the other man. He grabbed the girl and quickly said, "Obliviate". Everyone in the room gave a jolt and then stood there, not knowing what was happening. With that done, the man left the house with the little girl and disappeared into thin air with a soft 'pop' and the girl's last scream of, "Sirius!"
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Willow awoke with a start. She was shaking uncontrollably. She was in a cold sweat and her eyes were wide and frantically looking around. She constantly saw figures lurking within her peripheral vision. She whirled around half expecting to see the man standing there with outstretched arms reaching for her. She shook her head and burrowed deep underneath her covers.
It's just a dream Willow. Get a grip, she said to herself.
But she couldn't let it go. The had just felt so real. She curled up into a fetal position and closed her eyes, hoping no more dreams would come.
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"It was too weird Buffy," Willow said, brushing her red hair out of her face, "It was like I was there…like I watching the little girl. I was the little girl."
"Will," Buffy said sitting down on one of the couches in the student lounge, "Since when do you have 3 brothers? You're an only child. And do you even know who that man was?"
"No, but part of me did. I- er- the little girl said 'serious' so I'm guessing...I don't know, that she had a good vocabulary at the age of seven or so? It was just some deep recognition, just the same with the 3 boys and the parents."
"Well tell me next time this happens and we'll see if we can do anything about it. For now all I want to dream about is the chocolate bar I'm about to eat."
"You sound like Xander," Willow laughed, taking a seat next to Buffy.
"Did someone call me?" Xander asked waltzing in like he owned the place, "What are you lovely ladies up to?"
"Eating," Willow supplied, crunching on a chip.
"Sounds like my kind of job."
Xander plopped down between Buffy and Willow. He grabbed a bag of chips out of his backpack, ripped the bag open, and proceeded to stuff his mouth with chips. Buffy and Willow watched, amused looks on the face.
"Oh that's attractive Harris," a voice snapped.
The trio turned their heads and saw Cordelia staring at Xander with a disgusted look on her face, "You know that's gonna attract all the ladies and maybe a few extra demon chicks."
Xander opened his mouth to defend himself, but Cordy shot him a look that could kill any demon the Hellmouth could conjure up. Xander backed down and slunk down on the couch. Cordy shrugged to herself and walked off. Willow turned to Xander.
"Why do you take that from her? Let her treat you like your nothing?" she questioned.
"It's easier than arguing I suppose."
Just then the bell rang. Students streamed out of the classrooms and over to their lockers, ready to get their stuff and get out of there. Buffy stood up, tossed the rest of her chips at Xander, stretched and said, "Off to the land-of-old-musty-books-and-demon-y-things."
"We'll stop in a later," Willow said, thinking to herself that maybe Giles would know something about her bizarre dreams.
Buffy nodded and headed off to meet Giles.
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"Sirius!" Dumbledore called, "Has anyone seen Sirius?"
Dumbledore looked out the window and just saw the dank gray square with a patch of grass, a lamppost, and an empty can by the post. Sirius Black, Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, the Weasleys, Mad-Eye Moody, and other Aurors were staying in Grimmauld Place, but it was a large house and finding people was only slightly easier than nailing Jell-O to a tree. He turned away from the window and headed down the hall, past the portrait of Mrs. Black, who was yelling curses from behind her curtain. He reached the kitchen and walked in to find Sirius sitting at the table having a cup of tea and flipping through the morning's edition of the Daily Prophet. Dumbledore pulled out a chair and sat down.
"I have a task for you," the old wizard said, placing his hands on the table.
Sirius set his cup of tea down and focused all his attention on Dumbledore.
"The last portrait of Salazar Slytherin had been found."
Sirius blinked and waited for Dumbledore to continue. He did. "I must ask you to travel there and retrieve it. Salazar refuses to cooperate for unknown reasons and as you're one of the few Order members that are not currently out and about...It would be appreciated if you could talk him into coming back with you. I'm afraid I've lost all patience with him, myself, and threatened to put him through a shredder."
Sirius gave Dumbledore a funny look, "A shredder?"
Dumbledore sighed and shook his head, "Honestly Sirius, didn't you take Muggle Studies in your 6th year? A machine that is used to shred paper into thin long strips? No matter, the point is that he did not understand what a shredder seeing how during his time there were no such inventions."
Sirius raised an eyebrow. "Couldn't we simply take him off the wall?"
Dumbledore sighed, but his eyes still held their clichéd twinkle. "Well, yes, however Salazar was one of the greatest wizards of our world and therefore his portrait has a bit of a...er, high regard for himself."
Sirius chuckled and stood up, "I see. Guess I'll be off then." He paused. "How would you like me to get there?"
"I have a portkey ready for you. Just pick up the can out front by the lamppost and it'll take you there. A man will be waiting for you there. You may remember him. Name of Rupert Giles?" Dumbledore studied Sirius for a reaction.
Sirius reacted. He choked on his tea than he was draining and if that wasn't the reaction Dumbledore was looking for, he didn't show it. Sirius put the teacup down. "Yeah, I remember him. James and I helped him out of some tough spots with the Ministry about seventeen years ago. How did you get in contact with him?"
Dumbledore smiled. "He owed me a favor."
"Yeah, that man owes favors to lots of people last time I checked."
"From what Rupert has told me, the portrait is in one of the old warehouses in the downtown part of the town. I haven't the slightest notion of why it would be there, but it has been found. He will point you in the right direction and said that he has accommodations for the night, as well."
Sirius nodded and headed out of the kitchen, leaving Dumbledore smiling and eyes twinkling. As he headed down the hall he bumped into Harry.
"Where are you going?" asked the boy with a questioning look.
"Just out on an errand, I'll be back soon," Sirius smiled at his godson.
Harry nodded and headed back upstairs. Sirius continued out the door. He picked up the can and was pulled off in a whirling of colors and light. He spun around for a bit and suddenly stopped. He looked around at his surroundings. He was in a park, it had a swing set, sand box, and- Sirius did a double take. He could have sworn he saw a girl tackle a full-grown man and suddenly he saw the man turn to dust. He blinked and they were both gone. He must be seeing things. He shook his head and walked toward the exit of the park. A man who was sitting on a bench stood up.
Sirius couldn't help put smirk. "Rupert, old pal! Still wearing the tweed?"
Giles sniffed as if hurt but smiled. "Hello, Black. How have you been?"
"Oh, you know. Can't say it hasn't been interesting being a criminal on the run."
"Yeah, I heard about that." Giles laughed. "Don't worry, this town is oblivious to everything going on around it. I can guarantee you that no disguise is necessary.
Sirius grinned. "So where's this picture?"
Giles beckoned Sirius to follow him. After a couple of minutes Giles had led him an area filled with old warehouses. He pointed, "It's in that one over there, next to the club."
Sirius nodded and headed over. The two men exchanged words and after Giles explained the direction to his condo, he left. Sirius saw the club, from which music was blasting. People were walking in and out underneath a sign, which read, 'The Bronze.' He headed over when he spotted a group of three people.
He was surprised to suddenly see the girl that he thought he saw attacking that man back at the park. Before he could linger on the thought he shook the preposterous thought out of his head. Next to the blonde stood a dark-haired boy who seemed to be telling a joke as he was talking and then a red head- Sirius' eyes widened in shock. Ginny hadn't told him she knew how to apparate illegally!
Sirius walked over with a smile and tapped the red head, "Gin, your mom and- oh!" he gasped when the red head wasn't Ginny but a completely different girl. She looked so much like Ginny and Sirius suddenly felt a sense of knowing. "Oh, I apologize. I thought you were somebody else."
"It's OK," she said politely as she looked at him.
Suddenly a spark of recognition ignited in both their minds.
Willow gasped at walked closer to Sirius. She suddenly stopped and looked back at Buffy to Sirius. "Who are you?"
Xander and Buffy sent their best friend enquiring looks. Willow shook her head. "He's the man in my dream."
Sirius was still trying to understand what was happening. "Willow?"
Buffy gave Sirius a warning glance as if daring him to move and then put a hand on Willow's arm. "Are you sure this is the serious guy?"
Xander tilted his head. "He looks more bewildered than serious, to tell ya the truth."